Are You Coming?
by James' Lily Flower
Summary: What if you discovered an unknown son, who is nothing like you expected? Rich business man, James Potter has. He must care for his child, Harry, while his ex-girlfriend goes on a romantic retreat with her new boyfriend. It won't be easy. AU, HP,JP/LE.
1. Prologue

**_A/N- This is actually losely based on Bambi 2. I love that movie! _**

**_This took me two days, non-stop writing except for meals and food shopping. I think it's the best thing I've written in months. _**

**_I had loads of help and support from Cool-mulle and she's helped me to sort the twists in the plotline. I could never have done it without you, love! _**

**_So here is the prologue. Enjoy and please read and review. _**

**_Love JLF xoxo_**

**Disclaimer- Does the more time I spend writing Harry Potter fanfics make me own it? No? Then I guess it still begins to JKR. Wonderful woman!**

**Are You Coming?**

**Prologue**

"Coming… ready or not," James yelled across the sunny grounds of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The grass was glowing a luscious green under the shining sun. Students were all basking out in the warm summer's day.

As it was the last day of school, and the exams were over, no-one had to worry about studying and therefore were all participating in their own activities. Some were hanging their legs in the crystal waters of the lake where the Giant Squid lifted a lazy limb. Some students were playing games of exploding snap, while others were playing friendly games of Quidditch.

Bees were flying languidly over the grounds, their wings beating slowly. The blue sky was clear of all birds and the few clouds purred along like a white Persian cat hunting for a mouse.

Lily giggled from behind the tree, where she was hidden. She was playing hide and seek with her boyfriend of two years and nine months. They had nothing else that needed to be done and so had amused themselves in the most mature way possible, _of course_.

Lily was a pretty seventeen year old girl in her sixth year of Hogwarts. She was petit, with long red gold hair and two stunning emerald eyes. Her skin tone was a creamy white and her face was lined with light freckles. She was wearing a white blouse and her grey pleated school skirt. She had rolled her skirt up at her waist and her blouse at the sleeves in an attempt to keep cool. It wasn't working.

She could hear James' feet padding through the long grass surrounding the tree. She stifled another giggle and crept around the other side of the tree. She moved around so that she was standing behind him. He let out a sigh, as if to show he was disappointed he hadn't found her. She stood so that there was less than half a foot's width between them before reaching out and placing her hands on his broad shoulders.

He let out a yelp of surprise, before turning to face her. She let out a giggle as he turned his body fully around. He pushed her back so that she was pinned against the tree, placing his arms either side of her face. His eyes gazed into hers. Gorgeous hazel into the sparkling green. He moved forwards and Lily smiled softly, albeit, briefly, before his lips met hers in a searing kiss. His hands came to caress her cheeks, thumbing her skin lightly.

She laughed slightly against his lips.

He opened his eyes to favour her with an enquiring look, disguised as a raised eyebrow. "Did I do something funny, love?" he asked.

Lily shook her head silently and laughed harder. She placed her arms carefully around his neck and continued to laugh into the crook of it.

James gave her a longsuffering look; he took her hand in his and rubbed her palm with the pad of his thumb.

"It's just the look on your face…" she said hysterically.

She took a deep breath, sobering the look on her face and turning back to him. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Sorry, James," she breathed.

He smiled, "perhaps you could make it up to me?"

Lily mirrored his expression, "you'd like that, hmmm?" she asked, moving closer to him.

Their lips were millimetres apart.

"Yeah, I would." James replied.

He kissed her tenderly.

"You like that, huh?" she asked softly, against his lips.

He kissed her again.

"You bet," he murmured.

"Prongs, that is incredibly nauseating," someone called from a few metres from where the couple were standing.

"Padfoot," James said, not turning around to greet his friend. "I was enjoying some alone time with Lily," he continued, not taking his eyes off his girlfriend.

Sirius rolled his eyes at James' back. Lily facing his way saw this and started giggling again.

"Now look what you've done!" James exclaimed. "You've only gone and started her laughing again. Do you know how hard it is to kiss those gorgeous lips when she's laughing her head off like that?"

Sirius growled slightly. "No, Prongs, I don't! She's your girlfriend, not mine!"

"Quite right, Padfoot, glad you noticed," James agreed.

Lily snorted and reached up to kiss him. "Love you," she whispered.

James smiled, "yeah."

Sirius made kissy-faces behind them. James turned to catch him making faces and high-pitched, breathy imitations of his girlfriend.

"If you're gonna be nasty, get lost so I can continue kissing Lily in peace," he snapped.

Sirius lifted his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. "Going, Prongs."

"Good."  
"Don't sound so upset, Prongs," Sirius joked.

"Bugger off!" James exclaimed, realigning his gaze to Lily who was still pinned against the tree. "Now, where were we?"

Lily smiled, and pressed a kiss against his lips to remind him. James wasted no time in deepening the kiss and pressing his tongue in between her lips. He swirled and searched, pressing and teasing. He pressed a kiss to her throat. "Summer's gonna be great, don't you think?"

Lily moaned as in came into contact with a sensitive spot. "Yeah. Are your parents gonna let you out?"

James' parents didn't approve of his relationship with Lily at all. The family was a really rich, business type family. They thought Lily didn't hold up to the standards of a rich business man's wife and they expected James to continue the business. They didn't like the thought of their son 'mucking around' with a woman he could _obviously _never marry (As his mother put it).

"I hope so," he said, pausing his trail of kisses, "so I get to see my beautiful, _sexy _girlfriend."

Lily smiled once again and gave him another kiss. "I've got to go, sorry," she said. "I promised to meet the girls."

She moved closer to him, so that her mouth was in line with his ear. "Meet me outside the room of requirement at six p.m.," she breathed, pressing her body seductively against his.

"Wouldn't dream of missing it," he replied huskily, bending to kiss her lips once again.

"Bye," she said quietly.

"See you later, love."

* * *

"Hey," James said, pushing off from the wall he'd been leaning on. "You're late," he stated.

"Sorry," she said, her eyes wide and full of sympathy. "Professor Slughorn started a conversation with me, and you know how hard it is to get away from him."

"Yeah," James agreed.

"Right, room of requirement. So glad you found this," she told him.

James had found the room of requirement the week before. He'd shown it to Lily the day after. "It'll be nice to finally have some privacy. We won't be disturbed." She raised an eyebrow and gestured for him to enter the newly-formed room.

He pushed the door open and froze, his mouth and eyes wide open in shock when he realised what Lily had asked for.

It was a room, bathed in blood red velvet. There was a huge Jacuzzi at one end of the room, and at the other end, there was a four poster, double bed, covered in red velvets and silk.

He turned to look at her. "Are you sure?" he asked, in disbelief.

Lily gave him a coy smile, searching his blank face. "I want to, James," she said nervously. "We've been together for a long time, and now we've found this place to be alone… I'm ready. I was hoping you were too."

James nodded, "it's a big step, Lil."

She lowered her gaze, "I realise that."

"I don't want you to think you have to do this for me," he said sweetly and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"No, I don't think that. But the same for you, gorgeous," she smiled, taking his arm gently.

He nodded, "I know." He allowed her to lead him into the room.

"I got the house elves to leave some food in here," Lily said, walking ahead of him.

James tightened his grip on her arm and spun her around, so she was looking at him. "Later…" he said hotly.

"Yeah, later…" she repeated, stroking his arm soothingly. She followed his gaze; his eyes were fixated to the bed.

"Are you okay?" she asked calmly.

"I'm perfect, love," he gave her an intense smile. "Ready?"

Lily grinned widely and nodded. He moved her around to the bed and they both lay out fully on it. Lily moved over to kiss him passionately.

"Lily," he breathed against her mouth, "you're my life."

Lily smiled and softly ran her fingers through his dark hair. "The feeling's mutual, James."

She felt nerves creeping along her skin and pulled his body closer. She could feel James' love for her sprouting from his veins. His hands were pressed onto her back, as his lips travelled down her body. Lily groaned slightly, enjoying every caress. She pressed a kiss to his hairline.

"James," she whimpered, "make love to me."

James didn't waste anytime as he helped her removed her clothes, and she his. That evening the young couple made love many times.

"Promise you'll stay with me forever," he said quietly, rubbing her naked side.

"Of course, silly," she replied. "I love you."

But forever was not Lily's to promise, another force of fate was pulling them apart. The two innocently fell asleep, not knowing this force was working against them.

* * *

The forest was silent as stag James crept through the undergrowth. He was looking for a red-gold doe. He pressed a hoof to a few leaves that had fallen. He dropped his graceful head to the ground, taking a long draught through his nose, searching for her scent. He snorted slightly, raising his head once again so that his antlers caught on a blossom-bush above him.

He ducked and cocked his head to either side until he managed to free himself from the branches. He then sped up into a gallop and continued to look for Lily.

He couldn't understand this, where was she? They'd agreed to meet at four p.m. and yet three quarters of an hour later, Lily was nowhere to be found. Lily was _never _more than five minutes late when meeting him.

It had been amusing at first. He'd thought Lily was continuing their game of hide and seek from the previous day. But after thirty minutes of searching through the forest, he was beginning to get worried.

He realised he had reached the end of the forest and heard a bicycle bell ringing. He saw it was Lily's old muggle, primary school friend, Carys. He turned back into his human form and rushed to her side. He grabbed onto the handlebars, catching his breath back.

"You…seen…L-Lily?" he panted.

"Yeah, James, I have, actually," she smiled at him.

He smiled back.

"She was walking down this road, towards the forest, then her parents drove down and picked her up and took her off," Carys told him.

His smiled faltered. "When was this?" he asked.

"About forty minutes ago," she replied.

"Well, in that case, I have to go and find out what's happened!" he exclaimed. He left the girl at a sprint, he couldn't charge around in his animagus form around the suburban settlement. He raced up Lily's terracotta drive and knocked quickly and loudly on the oak door of number fourteen.

There was a shuffling behind the door and James shifted his weight between his feet, anxious to see Lily and find the cause of the problem. The door opened and a balding man appeared. A small boy appeared behind him.

"Hello," the man said.

"Hi," James said, "Is Lily here?"

"Lily?" the man asked blankly.

"Lily Evans?" James asked, running a hand uneasily through his dark hair.

"Oh, the Evans' left, kid. We've just moved in tonight…"

James looked at him in absolute shock horror. "What?! Where have they gone?"

"I don't know sorry, mate. Sorry I can't be of more help, goodnight." He quietly closed the door. James moved to the end of the drive and leant against the chestnut tree he and Lily had spent the entire of last summer sitting and kissing in.

He sadly moved around the corner and apparated home. He walked up to the front door and unlocked it. He walked into the kitchen. His mother was sitting at the kitchen table eating a fruit salad prepared for her by their house elf, Wonky. He sighed, sitting at the table in the seat furthest away from his mother.

"Can you get me a butterbeer and some of those cookies you made earlier, Wonky?" James asked, setting his chin in the palm of his hands.

"What happened?" his mother asked.

"Lily's moved," James said, in a cold tone.

"What do you mean 'moved'?" she asked, struggling to keep the glee out of her voice at the implications of the phrase.

"Like it sounds…_exactly. _The Evan's have moved and I don't have a clue where they've gone," he replied grumpily.

His mother moved round behind him to place a comforting gesture on his back. "Don't worry, James, you can start dating **real **women now."

"I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE!" James bellowed, "I WANT LILY, CAUSE I **LOVE** HER!"

"She's not coming back," his mother said harshly. "Get used to it and move on."

"Damn you to hell, Mother," he said stubbornly. "I'm going out on the veranda, Wonky."

* * *

"Mum," Lily said, quietly walking into her new kitchen, where her mother was making dinner.

"Yes, honey?" Mrs Evans asked.

"I think I'm pregnant," Lily continued, biting her lip.

Mrs Evans dropped the glass bowl she was taking out of the cupboard. "Sorry?"

"I said I think I'm pregnant, mum," Lily repeated, tears shining in her green eyes.

"How would you be, Lily?" her mother asked, bending down to pick up the pieces of glass. "I mean, you've never even been with a man."

Lily bent to help her and Mrs Evans pushed her hand away. "Mum," Lily said slowly. "James and I slept together on the last day of school."

Mrs Evans raised her gaze. "Well that was stupid," she said sternly.

"No, cause I love him," she said, blushing at the statement's intensity.

"No you don't, Lily. You're too goddamn young to love someone…"

"But-"

"Not even James…" her mother replied. "You're so stupid, Lily. Your father and I worked so hard to get you into Beaubatons and now, you won't be-able to go."

"I'm sorry, mum, but I didn't want to move," Lily said sharply.

Her mother frowned at her. "You'll have to have an abortion, you know."

Lily shook her head. "No way! My body, my life, my decision. This is mine and James' baby. I'm having it! Now I'm off to write to James to tell him."

"No, you're not! You're having nothing more to do with that boy. I knew he was trouble from the beginning. I told you, I warned you, Lily. And now you _are _in trouble!" her mother growled. "Fine, I'll make you a deal. Promise never to see him again and I'll let you keep the baby!"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Lily cried, "what if James wants to know his child?"

"Tough luck on him!" her mother said loudly.

"WHY SHOULD IT BE?"

"Because, he's done this to you…"

"No, we did it together."

"What's going on? Lily, why are you raising your voice?" her father entered the room.

"James raped our daughter," Mrs Evans said

"What?" Mr Evans asked.

"Mum, he didn't force me! I suggested it, even." Lily exclaimed.

Mr Evans raised one eyebrow. "What's going on?" he asked the two women in a dangerous tone.

"Dad… I'm…" Lily hesitated.

"Potter got your daughter pregnant." Mrs Evans said coldly. "You won't see him again, Lily. Understand?"

"Yes, mother," Lily replied in defeat.

She left the room and padded up the stairs to her new bedroom. It was cold and bleak. She looked at a single picture of James and her that she always had by her bedside. She had a bad feeling about the future.

She pressed a slim hand to her belly.

"Don't worry, baby," she said, "you'll meet your daddy one day."

With that she fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of James.


	2. Chapter 1

Are You Coming

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 1**

"Mother, I don't want a party," James said sharply. "I'm too busy as it is."

"Well it's high time you found a bride, James. This will be the perfect chance to meet the perfect woman," his mother said roughly.

"I'm too busy, mother! Don't you understand, I have neither the time or interest to date women!" he snapped.

"James, it's time you sorted your life, you can't dwell on past events forever!" she exclaimed.

James looked at her blankly, "I don't know what you mean."

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about," his mother replied.

James fixed her with a look that plainly said 'don't you dare bring that up'. "It's nothing to do with _that_," he said.

His mother's stare bluntly stated that she didn't believe him. James' gaze quickly turned to that one of challenge and defence that he bore whenever the subject came up.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, "Mother, look," he began.

"James, it's one night off, I'll plan it… you won't have to worry…"

"Okay," he cut her off. "Look, you sort it, mother… I've got an important meeting, sorry."

"Okay, sweetheart, I'll see you soon." she said, giving him a hug.

James returned it in a fake manner, "goodbye, mother."

It took James twenty minutes to get into the office. He checked through the mail, but there wasn't anything important. James owned a big publishing company that published all sorts of magazines; including his long time favourite, Quidditch Weekly. But James didn't have time to watch Quidditch anymore. He was surprised that he hadn't remained his youthful character for long. He'd changed so much when _she _had left him and never contacted him again. He couldn't bear thinking about her though, it hurt too much to remember what they'd had and had lost. Not that James thought about it anymore, he'd moved on, or so he told himself. The fact of the matter was that James had completely lost all trust in women. So he didn't let them into his life.

His secretary, a pretty blonde, came in, "Mr Potter, Mr Bradley is waiting for you in the meeting room."

"Okay," James said gruffly.

Scott Bradley was James main competitor in the industry. He was an attractive man, also in his early twenties, with blue eyes and long blonde hair. He was the complete opposite of James, with brash features and was slightly stockier. He stood at five foot eleven and was also very rich. James ran a hand through his dark hair, which was the only wild and untamed thing left about him. He sat down at the desk opposite Bradley.

"Potter," Bradley greeted.

"Bradley," they politely shook hands.

James had always been competitive with this particular man, right since fourteen when their parents had introduced them. Unlike James, Bradley had gone to Durmstrang School. They had both gone into the same industry and with their range of similar publications, the two's rivalry had gone from bad to worst.

"What's wrong, Potter? You seem distracted. You do need to concentrate if you're to stay in business," Bradley said halfway through the meeting.

James fixed him with a stony gaze, "thinking about a conversation I had with my mother this morning."

"Oh," Bradley said simply but his tone was filled with that malicious glint of enmity.

"My mother is insisting that she organises me a party, the basic objective being that I will find a suitable bride," James sighed.

"I've never understood why you don't seek a woman of your own. Don't you want to continue your business with a line of children?" Scott asked.

James shrugged, "I don't have time to pursue a line of my own. From my previous relationship; I realise that relationships take up time, children would take up even more time and that's time I don't have to spare."

Scott shrugged, "the woman I date gives me what I want and I don't spend that much time with her."

"No?" James asked softly, he thought life must be terribly unfair for the poor girl. Scott didn't seem like a good partner. "Let's continue with the business."

"Good idea, Potter."

* * *

"Mummy!" the only child of Lily Evans cried, rushing up to his mother.

He was a small boy of five, with dark messy hair, green eyes and a thin build. In his mother's eyes, he looked a lot like his father. But that was a secret she'd never discussed with anyone else.

Lily bent down, her long red hair framing her face elegantly. She put her arms around the small boy carefully. She kissed the crown of his head and took his lunch bag off him. It had an image of a dalek from Doctor Who on it.

"Bye, Harry," a small boy with red hair and freckles, who Lily knew to be Harry's best friend, said.

"Bye, Ron," Harry said, from snuggled into her embrace.

Lily smiled, "are we ready to go?"

"I haven't said goodbye to Hermione," Harry said, looking upset that he had forgotten his other friend. Harry was very easy to upset. He took everything very personally; a sweet trait that Lily was sure would be exploited later in his life.

"Well quickly go and find her then," Lily said, stroking his back in a comforting manner. "I'll wait for you here."

"Okay, mummy."

Lily watched the small boy scamper off. She smiled to various parents and children in Harry's year, knowing that the parents all either felt sympathy or disapproval for her. She was so young compared to most of them and none of them knew the story of how Harry had come to be with her. Most thought him to be the result of a drunken one-night stand. A teenage pregnancy caused by carelessness. Lily had never gotten close enough to reveal the story of her passionate love and loss of James Potter. Even Harry knew little about his father. He didn't even know his father's first name. Just the surname, Potter, that he too went by. The subject hurt Lily too much for her to bring it up often.

A few minutes later, Harry came rushing back to her. "Sorted," he said.

"We can go then?" Lily asked, amused.

"Yes," Harry said, breathlessly.

They walked up the side of the street, Harry holding his mother's hand tightly.

"What did you learn about today?" Lily asked.

"Oh, well we were learning about ladybirds today… and then we made clocks and practiced telling the time," Harry told her, excitement showing in his young features. "Red and black clocks, with ladybirds on the hands… not real ladybirds, obviously… wooden ones."

"I see," Lily said, "and what time is it now?" she asked, placing her wristwatch in front of her son's face.

"Quarter to four," he said proudly.

"That's right," Lily said with a laugh.

"Mummy, can we go home through the park?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Lily smiled slowly. She walked with him hand in hand until they reached the park gates. Lily ushered him in gently, enjoying the fresh air on her face.

The grass was fresh green as it was a hot summer's day. Tadpoles swum in frisky circles, playing hide and seek from the Sun in the reeds. Children who had just left school were playing. They used the lake as their ocean, the hills as their mountains and the climbing frames as their ships. Moving from bow to stern. A woman in a pair of corduroy dungarees walked her Yorkshire terrier through the rose gardens. Another man sat with a book in the shade of the bandstand.

"Do you want an ice-cream?" Lily asked, as they passed the stand.

"Yes, please," Harry said.

She brought two Mr Whippy '99' flakes. "Don't let it ruin your appetite for dinner," she warned.

"Yes, mummy."

They paused at a bench and sat down to eat.

"I was talking to Alex this morning," Lily said softly.

"Really? Cool!" Harry exclaimed.

Alex Marshall was one of Lily's friends. He was a substitute beater for Harry and Ron's favourite team, the Chudley Cannons. Harry had loved Quidditch ever since he was very young. His mother had been teaching him to fly for just over a year now. Though she'd always expected James would have wanted to teach him. Harry's school was a muggle Primary School, but Lily knew Ron's mother and they were also a wizarding family. Hermione, however, was muggle and it was strictly forbidden for Ron and Harry to tell her about 'wizard stuff'. Harry couldn't imagine not being a wizard. He couldn't actually do any magic yet, but he knew when he was older he'd be going to a Wizard school called Hogwarts and he'd learn magic there.

"He said the Cannons are starting a children's Quidditch team, I thought you might like to try out for it," Lily told him.

"Can I?" Harry asked, his eyes wide with excitement. "Really?"

"Yes. Come on, we need to get home so I can start making dinner," Lily said, giving him the last of her ice-cream.

* * *

"How was your day?" Lily asked Scott as he sat down at the table.

"Not too brilliant," he admitted, "the head of our competing firm came for a meeting. Their sales are still ten per cent better than ours."

"Oh," Lily said, stroking his shoulder. She put his plate down in front of him. "Any ideas how to sort it?" she asked, giving Harry his dinner. She grabbed her own plate of food, before sitting next to Scott and placing a comforting hand on his thigh.

"No," Scott replied taking a mouthful of food. "I suppose I'll have to organise a big meeting for tomorrow."

Harry sat there quietly, eating his food. He'd been told many times not to interrupt Scott when he was discussing business. It didn't help that he didn't understand any of what Scott was talking about. Harry didn't get on well with Scott at all. He was harsh and blunt with him. Scott didn't like caring for a child that was not his own. He didn't feel Harry should be his responsibility and was annoyed he had been landed with him. It was Harry's father's job to bring him up, not Scott's. But he put up with him, so he could keep Lily with him.

Lily smiled at him, "I'm sure it will sort itself, darling."

"Mummy?"

"Yes, Harry?" Lily asked, as she and Scott turned their gazes to look at the little boy.

"Could you help me pour some more drink, please?" he shuffled in his seat.

"Course," Lily replied, pouring him some more juice into his cup.

"Aren't you old enough to pour your own drink?" Scott asked.

"Scott, it's fine," Lily said slowly, "the carton's very full."

Lily sighed; she knew Scott would never make a good father. Not for Harry and not even for his own children. Lily was especially careful to prevent a pregnancy by him. He could never care for a child. Lily didn't want to have a child with him. She didn't think Scott wanted a child… except possibly for the selfish reason of carrying on the company. It was sad for her, as she'd always wanted a large family.

"Darling, eat your vegetables," Lily said to Harry.

"Okay, Mummy."

* * *

"Prongs!" Sirius greeted, "long time, no see."

"Hello, Sirius," James said, looking up from the sheet of parchment he was writing on. "Why are you here?"

"I came to invite you out to the pub; it's been ages since you've been out with us!" Sirius said, "Thought we could have fun."

"I'm sorry, Padfoot, I have to finish this report," James said, pushing his glasses higher up his nose and rubbing his eyes wearily.

"You can do it tomorrow. You look like you could do with a rest, mate," he continued. "You really do look very tired."

"Sorry, Sirius, this is important," he said.

"Oh, come on, Prongs, you'll enjoy yourself, you always used to."

"I'm sorry, Sirius, there is no possibility. I need to keep up with the work and the sooner I get it done, the sooner it will be finished."

"You know what, Prongs. You're no fun since Lily left," Sirius said sadly.

"Padfoot, shut the hell up!" he snapped. "I don't want to hear _anything_ about Evans. I am just _too _damn busy! Can you please leave!?"

"Fine!" Sirius growled, "Call me when you're ready to have time for your friends."

"Yeah, I will… which will be never!" James called back, "close the office door when you leave!"

"Go to hell, Prongs."

"Perhaps you should go there yourself," James growled to himself, turning back to his report. "Stupid dog!"

* * *

"Come on, Harry, bedtime, honey," Lily said, standing from her space on the sofa next to Scott.

"Awww, do I have to, Mummy?" Harry whined.

"Yes," Lily said, taking his hand in hers and picking him up. She gave Scott a smile and kissed her son's cheek. She slowly walked up the stairs, cuddling him to her chest. She helped him brush his teeth and wash his face, before they went into his bedroom together.

He lay down in his bed and Lily pulled the covers tightly around him. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and turned to switch off the light.

"Mummy," Harry said quietly in a questioning tone, causing her to turn around and face him once again.

"Yes, baby?" Lily asked.

"What do you think Daddy's doing now?" he asked, his face the picture of innocence.

"Well, I imagine he's getting ready for bed too," Lily said, trying to flush out images of James flooding her mind. It wouldn't do to have her memory full of thoughts of him, especially as she'd be bedding Scott soon. It wouldn't do to call out her ex's name in such a moment.

"No! In his life?" Harry posed.

Lily sat on the bed next to him. "Well, I expect he's living in a nice big mansion, is a successful business man and has the perfect wife, just like his mother always wanted. I expect he's very happy too."

Harry sighed, "Didn't his mother like you very much?"

"No," Lily said simply. She bit her lip. It was such a hard subject for her to talk about.

"I don't see how anyone could not like you, Mummy," Harry said in earnest. "You're so kind and very pretty."

Lily held the sweet boy towards her. "Thank you, baby," she breathed into his mess of dark hair.

"And I think Daddy must have loved you very much," he continued.

"He did, Harry, your father and I loved each other very much," she promised stroking his hair. "Never doubt that."

"I don't, Mummy."

"Good. Now try and get some sleep," Lily suggested.

"I will."

"There's a good boy. Goodnight," she gave him another kiss on the forehead. "I love you."

"Goodnight, Mummy, I love you too," Harry replied, turning over in his bed.

Lily switched the light off and crept out onto the landing. She walked into the master bedroom, where Scott was lying out on the bed. The room was baby blue with cream sheets and curtains. Lily grabbed a knee-length, cream nightgown out of the wardrobe and went to change in their ensuite bathroom.

Scott was frowning slightly when she went in.

"What's the matter, honey?" Lily asked, lying down next to him. He ignored her. "Scott?" she tried again.

"Hmmm?" he turned to look at her with his beautiful blue eyes and Lily realised how well matched they were against the wall of the bedroom.

"Are you okay?" she repeated.

He sighed, "You saw that guy from the cannons again today, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Lily said truthfully. "He wanted to tell me about the children's team they're starting. He suggested Harry could get coached there. Nothing to worry about."

"I hate it when people say that. It's just words…" Scott said.

"Not from me," Lily said sharply. "Scott, darling, you asked me this last week, and still, you are the only guy for me."

"What about Harry's father?" he asked harshly.

"I'm not with him anymore, I'm with you," she pointed out.

He nodded slowly, giving up. "Show me how much you care, Lily," he said shortly, "make love to me."

"For you, baby, yes. But only for you." She leant over his blonde head.

He kissed her deeply and removed her nightgown, groping at her body. Lily sighed, wondering why this was becoming such a routine activity with Scott. It had used to be so exciting, but now it seemed little off being a chore.

* * *

James sighed, placing down the report on his desk. Finally it was finished. He yawned and stretched, his back sore from being cramped in one position all night. He rubbed his eyes for the hundredth time that night, too tired to even fetch food or drink. He hadn't eaten yet. He checked the clock, it was gone twelve.

He rose from his seat and padded his way over to the door, pausing to flick the light off. He strode along the hallway, glad that he didn't have to worry about waking up a wife or children.

Once in his bedroom, he removed his shoes, shirt and trousers. He then crawled under the covers, unconsciously pushing his mind through haunting memories.

Memories of _her_.

But he was alone. Oh so very alone.

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait, my chums. I am so very excited about this fic. I am determined to give you all better quality and more developed writing throughout. Could you guys do me a teeny favour and give me a review?! I'm also wondering who saw Scott as the boyfriend before I introduced him having dinner with Lily and Harry. :P I enjoyed writing that bit lots! :)**

**School starts next week! :( I am thinking updates could be a long time coming! Awww!**

**In the meantime, check out the fic I am coowriting with Cool-Mulle, there is a link to it at the top of my profile. I can't really give you a summary- the one I wrote before is CRAP! But please check it out! It's a VERY good fic. Well thought out- I believe. **

**My love to all my readers and reviewers! **

**-James' Lily Flower xoxo**


	3. Chapter 2

**Are You Coming**

**Chapter 2**

"Hi, Mum, thanks for taking Harry tonight," Lily said, as her mother opened the door to her sea-green Renault Clio to let Lily's only son out.

"It's quite alright, Lily, Harry and I are going to have lots of fun. You really should let me do this more often," she said, watching her grandson run inside.

"Mother, _you_ were the one that wanted me to abort the pregnancy!" Lily snapped quietly, making sure that her son didn't hear. "You can't just change your opinion like that!"

"Lily," he mother replied, "it's high time you got over the past. What's happened, has happened! You can't change it now by being a cow towards me! Everyone has lost someone… I wasn't happy when your father died, but I've had to live with it."

"Yes, mother, but you had Dad for thirty-three years; I had James for less than three," Lily growled, "it's not the same thing!"

"I don't understand the problem," Mrs Evans said, "I've done you a favour. You'd never have lasted. You were too young. You'd have split up by now. But you have everything, Lily, a beautiful son and the perfect partner."

"Even Scott has his flaws, mother," Lily told her, passing a bag of Harry's belongings to her, "you choose not to see them… but you had it in for James from the moment you first met him."

"I was the one who saw James for who he was… go now, enjoy your evening and forget about that stupid boy. You owe it to both Harry and Scott," Lily's mother commanded. "Don't ruin this one."

"_You _ruined the first," Lily reminded her, "goodbye, mother. Look after my son."

"I will, see you later!"

Lily waved to Harry through the window and blew him a kiss. She walked over to where Scott was waiting in the car.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Lily looked back to where her mother was cuddling up to her son. "I hate leaving him here; I can't even look at her anymore."

"I still can't understand why," he told her, as she pulled out of the drive.

"It's the principal, Scott," Lily answered, checking the mirror as she pulled onto the highway. "She wanted me to abort the pregnancy."

"But she has a point, Lily," he said, staring out the windscreen at the rusty red car in front, "think of how much better your life would be if the little brat wasn't here."

Lily nearly swerved the car, "Scott, I love my son. I wouldn't want to live without him."

"It's a hell of a burden, Lily," he told her sharply.

"It's not a problem," she insisted. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Okay," he said, casting his eyes over her cerise gown. "I got the bookings for the hotel sorted."

"Oh, good! I just need to check the holiday dates with Mum so she can look after Harry," she told her boyfriend.

"I'm looking forward to our own holiday, _just the __**two**__ of us_," he leant in to kiss her cheek.

"It'll be… fun."

*********

"Wow," Lily said, "this guy's place is massive."

"His company does well, but I could easily afford a place like this… I just don't think we need anything this big," Scott told her, holding her hand. "I also think his mum chose the place."

"Well, that explains it then… I'm sure we'd have a house this big if your mother had chosen it," she squeezed his hand and he pulled her closer to his body in a possessive manner.

"Yes but its completely impractical," Scott told her. "This guy is single, no kids… lives on his own here."

"His own?" Lily repeated in wonder, "in somewhere this big?"

"Yep, course it's all run by maids," he replied, rubbing her hip. "And I'd never deal with other women running around my house."

"Course not," Lily agreed.

The front door was open and flanked by two men in grey suits. It was obvious that Scott had been here several times, for when they approached the two men greeted him by his full name. They were shown into a large ballroom, where the party was being held.

"Come on, I want to introduce you to those guys over there. They're from my office," Scott told her.

He greeted them both and the tones they greeted him with spoke highly of the respect they both felt for Scott. They were young and rather handsome and Lily blushed at the way they ran their eyes over her slim figure.

Scott at once placed a protective arm around her waist. "This is my girlfriend, Lily," he introduced.

Lily smiled as they introduced themselves to her. She was feeling rather smothered by the way Scott was touching her. He had no trust in her what-so-ever.

******

"James, darling, come here, oh I am sorry, Miss Cotter," Mrs Potter said, glancing through the crowd of young ladies for her only child.

"Miss Hooper, so nice of you to come, have you met my son yet, no?" This was the energetic voice of the bustling Mrs Potter, pushing through the crowd. "James, darling, do come and say hello."

If you asked James, she was getting too much pleasure from this. He was lounged in a chair behind his mother, drinking champagne and greeting young ladies when prompted. He had spoken to at least forty in the last hour; all the same, all dull and certainly not what James would be looking for in a wife. Obviously he and his mother had two completely different objectives. He sighed and ruffled his hair, just because he knew it annoyed her.

"Ask one of them to dance," Mrs Potter hissed to him, "and don't mess up your hair. You're not a child anymore. It doesn't look cool."

He ignored her comment on his hair. "I'm not in the mood for dancing, mother," he said. He slowly got up and walked down the set of steps, away from the area he had been sitting in. he decided to go and look for Sirius. He'd make this party more interesting. He was beginning to remember why he'd told his mother this party would be a complete waste of time. He discarded his champagne glass with one of his maids and went in search of his best friend.

***********

"Yes, I'm sure that would be beneficial to both companies."

Lily suppressed a yawn. She had been listening to Scott talking to this prospect supplier for the last fifteen minutes and it wasn't a conversation she was even vaguely interested.

She should have known when Scott suggested coming to this ball; she would be nothing more than an eye candy, making him look good to have a young woman hanging off his arm. She should have known it was all about business. It always was.

"I'm going to the toilet," she told her boyfriend in an undertone.

He waved her off in the tone of someone who didn't care very much.

She walked through the main part of the hall and towards the door, looking for someone to point her in the right direction. She didn't belong with these groups of entrepreneurs and misers.

She walked along a corridor, her feet clattering against the floors. The place had a lonely feel to it. She entered a small room with a few varnished chairs and some selves and cupboards pushed against the walls. She bit her lip and looked around, wondering if she should be here.

***********

His footsteps echoed across the stone floor of the main hallway. They always did. Any other man would say something was missing James' life but he never noticed it.

_After all rich businessmen, like himself, didn't have children running under their feet and partners getting in their way. He couldn't get distracted. Too much was at stake._

**Sound the bugle now, **

**Play it just for me,**

**As the seasons change,**

**Remember how I used to be**

His mind wandered briefly to Lily and how he'd felt when she left him. He remembered how he'd been before she'd disappeared. Young, happy, careless. But she'd dealt him the blow, the one that had taught him the cruelness of the world. He was better of without that cow. Better off alone.

**Now I can't go on,**

**I can't even start,**

**I've got nothing left,**

**But an empty heart**

She'd left him with nothing. No one. And he had become the man he'd swore to never become. But he _knew _it was who he should be.

"Padfoot?" he called out as if hoping the other man would suddenly appear. His call was in vain.

Sirius was the only person who'd stood by him when Lily had left him. Remus had never been able to comfort him but James could remember the cold nights when he and Sirius had sat under the cold night sky along the river bank that edged his parents' house. They'd talked and smoked cigarettes until the larks had bid them to sleep with early morning arias. As James had donned his businessman aura like a watery-cold cloak, Sirius had communicated increasingly strong feelings of disapproval. James was no longer the boy he'd pulled pranks with at school. He'd matured long before his time. Or so Sirius said. Mrs Potter disagreed with this statement. Apparently there was no better time for James to be expanding his business. So as of late, even the two boys had begun to split.

James took a sharp right in the corridor and came up to the small room where all his old school supplies were kept. In this was also a box of things he'd exchanged with Lily when he was younger. When he was young and heartbroken, he had been loathed to throw it away. And even now, for some unknown reason, he couldn't dispose of these small tokens of forgotten love. So they had been pushed to the back of the cupboard, in a similar way to the way memories of her were pushed to the back of his mind.

The door was ajar although he distinctively remembered closing it so that no guests would enter. The only other person allowed in here was Sirius when he wanted to think. He pushed the door open fully, gazing into the bright room from the shadows of the hallway. Standing in the room was a girl. She had a slim figure that curved outwards at the hips and chest. She was wearing a red, satin dress and black stilettos. Her long red hair was left in elegant curls down her back. He stepped on a loose floorboard that squeaked in protest; she heard the noise and turned. His eyes opened widely as James realised who it was. He had to bite his lip hard to stop himself from gasping out loud. The girl was looking around carefully for the source of the noise, surprise evident in her shining eyes when no answer came forth.

"Lily?" he called from his spot, hidden in the shadows. "Is it really you?"

"Who are you?" she asked, looking in confusion for the speaker.

"It's me… James," he said, walking into the lit room.

"James," she repeated, looking deathly shocked. Her face shone white with the unexpected turn of events. He nodded slowly and walked a few paces closer, into the centre of the room.

"Woah," Lily cried out, rushing forwards to meet him, now the confusion had gone.

"How did you-? But how did you-?" James cried.

"Where did you come from?" she asked.

"It's great to see you," he smiled.

"It's great to see you," she rushed forward to hug him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked slowly, not responding to the gesture.

"What do you mean 'what am I doing here', what are you doing here?" she giggled.

"What's going on here?" a strict voice behind her asked. Lily gasped as Scott walked up behind her and jumped out of James' arms quickly.

He paced over to her and put his arms around her protectively. "What's going on here?" he repeated.

"Nothing is, Scott," Lily said quickly.

"I've been looking for you," he said sharply.

"Sorry," she breathed, dropping a quick kiss to his cheek.

James easily noticed how close the two were. "What the hell is a girl like Lily doing with Bradley?" he wondered aloud.

"Oh, James, Scott has been my boyfriend for two years now," Lily said softly.

James felt his heart dropping, weighted down by with iron cuffs, imprisoning it.

"Let's get a drink," he suggested, trying to push the weight of his ex-girlfriend dating his rival off.

James got them a couple of champagnes and they sat themselves down in a corner far away from his mother. He didn't want her to see his ex-girlfriend now, not yet. Though maybe they could forget this whole experience after the party.

Lily gave him a wide smile as he sat to one side of her. She sipped her drink slowly and twirled a lock of hair around one finger. Her green eyes were alight as she talked to James. There was so much she wanted to say to him. He would want to meet his son, she thought excitedly. Harry would love this.

"Oh, James, do you remember that day you pushed Sirius into the lake?" she giggled, one arm placed on James' strong bicep.

He nodded, "thought he was gonna jump out and kill me." He rested a single hand against the back of her chair.

Scott growled quietly. He didn't like all this flirtatious behaviour from Lily. He stood suddenly. "We're going home," he said in a deathly cold tone.

Lily looked shocked, "why?"

"Because we are," Scott snapped, "come on."

"Okay," Lily said, rushing out of her chair, so as not to upset him more. "Sorry, James, I'll see you around."

"See you in the meeting on Tuesday, Potter," her boyfriend said, grabbing her hand and hastening away.

They drove off to her mother's house in silence to pick up Harry. Scott seemed to be ignoring her, in deep contemplation about something. She indicated into the driveway, listening to the wheels crunch up the gravel. The headlights bounced off the windows as Lily cut the engine.

"I'll be right back," she told her mute boyfriend. He didn't respond as she opened the car door, but continued staring out of the window at her mother's lavender bushes.

Her mother came rushing to the front door, Harry following her. Lily bent to give her son a quick hug and told him to gather his belongings.

"Is everything okay?" Mrs Evans asked. "You're home early."

"I don't know," Lily answered slowly.

"What happened?" her mother asked progressively.

"I saw James, if you must know," Lily replied. "He seems… _different._"

"Darling, do be careful. I'd push him away with a firm hand. It'll only upset everything you've built in the last two years," she said, turning to give Harry a goodbye hug. "See you soon, darling."

"Bye, mum," Lily said, taking her son's hand and walking with him to the car. Once Harry was settled in the back, Lily drove off. Her son seemed to sense the tension between his mother and Scott, for he two was uncharacteristically quiet.

When they got home, Scott locked up the house and went straight to the master bedroom. Lily changed Harry into his pyjamas and put him to bed. She kissed his forehead, thinking of his father at the party. A father who didn't even know of his existence.

She closed the door behind her slowly as she left. She padded into the master bedroom, where Scott was laid out angrily on their bed. She sat down on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers tiredly through her hair. She listened to his slow, infuriated breathing, waiting for him to speak. She wiped off her make-up and changed into some lace-trimmed, cotton pyjamas. A few minutes later, her boyfriend finally spoke.

"I want to know everything," he said, "everything about how you met, know, think of, James Potter. I want to know you're history, Lily."

"Now?" She asked, "it's a long one."

"This is ridiculous!" he snapped and after taking a deep breath. "I WANT TO KNOW!"

"Well," Lily swallowed, it was going to be hard talking about the memories she had suppressed for so many years. "He went to Hogwarts with me… he was in the same house and uh…" she got ready to drop the bombshell, "we dated for nearly three years."

"THREE YEARS?" he bellowed.

"I was young!" she stated.

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! YOU LIKED HIM ENOUGH TO DATE HIM FOR THREE YEARS!" he was in her face, yelling at her now. "I THOUGHT WE'D TALKED ABOUT ALL THIS WHEN WE DISCUSSED YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE _BRAT'S _FATHER."

"Scott, please, I didn't think it that important. James was my past and you're my now," she stroked his arm.

"I WISH YOU'D STOP SAYING THAT!" he snarled.

"Its how I feel," Lily insisted.

"LIAR!" he roared, "I WATCHED YOU _FLIRTING _WITH HIM!"

"What I feel for James is irrelevant, because I LOVE _YOU_, YOU STUPID MAN!" she yelled in distress.

"Did you ever sleep with him?" he asked in a deathly calm and Lily decided she had preferred it when he was yelling at her.

"Yes, I lost my virginity to him," she admitted.

"And he's Harry's father?" he asked coldly.

"Yes," she replied sadly.

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU BOTHER TO TELL ME?!" he screamed. "I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KNOW THAT YOU HAD A CHILD WITH THE HEAD OF MY RIVAL COMPANY!"

"Rival company?" she asked hesitantly, "he's a business man?" She felt tears pricking in her eyes. He'd broken their promise, he'd become what he'd sworn never to be.

"Yes," he growled, "I'M GOING DOWN THE PUB, YOU'D BETTER BE HERE WHEN I GET BACK!"

He left the room and she heard him storm down the stairs and slam the door behind him. She lay on the bed, the room beating out a strange silence. She bit her lip; wanting to cry, but no tears came. The events of the night enveloped her heart with anxiety. Scott had acted so harshly and the cruel wound in her heart had been re-opened once again. She tapped her nails lightly on the polished wood of the bedside table, how did she feel about James after all these years?

She felt a soft weight on the bed next to her and for a moment wondered if it was Scott coming to apologise for yelling at her. But she knew her boyfriend better than that. She rolled over onto her side to see identical green eyes staring into her own almond-shaped ones.

She reached her arm out for her small son, who allowed himself to be pulled into her embrace. His bottom lip trembled slightly and he kept looking around, as if worried that Scott would come back and take his anger out on him too.

"It's okay," Lily breathed into his hair. He held onto her tighter. "How much did you hear?" she asked quietly, her ears still ringing with Scott's shouts.

"Lots… why was Scott shouting, mummy?" he asked.

"He… found something out that he didn't like and…uh- he was a-angry at mummy for not telling him," she said tentatively.

"Mummy?"

"Hmm?" she said, absent-mindedly playing with his messy hair.

"What did he find out?" Harry asked, his arms tightly around her neck.

"Who your daddy is," she said sensitively.

"How come?" Harry asked innocently.

"I saw your daddy, baby," she revealed, "at the party."

Harry looked at her in soundless shock. "_My… _daddy?" he said after a long pause.

"Yes."

"Wow," he grinned widely. Even though she was unhappy from her argument with her partner, Lily couldn't help but smile back at him, her heart lightened by the small boy's excitement. "Do you think I'll get to meet him?" he asked.

"I don't know," Lily told him. "Don't be too hopeful… and whatever you do, don't mention it to Scott."

"Okay," he said, climbing down the side of the bed. He'd reached the doorframe when his mother called out.

"Harry, stay with me tonight."

"But, mummy, big boys don't go to sleep with their mummies," he cried out.

She laughed and stood, quickly crossing the floor to where he was standing. She picked him up and placed him down on the bed, folding the duvet down before rolling him up in it. He giggled under the soft material, sliding out of his makeshift prison and pouncing on his mother. She pushed him back, before attacking him with bouts of tickles. When he had begged for 'mercy', she lent down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She pulled the duvet around them and turned the light off. The five-year old boy snuggled up against her and with her son close to her, she easily fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of James.

**Hi guys, sorry for the long wait once again.**

**Hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it. **

**Reviews please!**

**Love JLF xoxo**


	4. Chapter 3

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 3**

"Lily, did you pack that shirt of mine?" Scott yelled up the stairs.

"Which one, darling?" Lily called back from where she was folding clothes into a suitcase, in their bedroom.

"The black one," Scott replied.

"No, it needs to be ironed," she shouted, "do you want your tan slacks?"

"Yes," he responded.

Lily pushed her hair out of her eyes and counted the number of sets of clothes in her case. She checked she had everything she wanted and then closed the case. She looked over her shoulder to see Harry silently watching her. His green eyes were wide and innocent, but showed hurt.

"Mum," he said slowly, "why do you have to go?"

Lily blinked and took a deep breath. "We're going on holiday," she finally replied.

"But why?" Harry asked. "And why can't I come?"

"Harry," Lily began carefully, "sometimes people in love like to spend some time on their own… just the two of them."

"You spend time alone with Scott _all _the time," the little boy argued.

Lily pulled her son into a hug and he buried his face into her hair. "Sometimes grown-ups need a rest, Harry…"

Lily bit her lip as she pulled the boy tightly to her chest. To be honest she was just as scared as him. She'd never been apart from her only child for more than two days and the truth that they were to spend nearly two weeks apart was terrifying for them.

She kissed his forehead. "It'll be okay," she promised.

"Lily, do you have that case ready yet?" Scott said impatiently, his footfalls beating across the landing.

Lily tried to snake her arms from around Harry's waist, but he held tight. "Nearly."

"For goodness sake, hurry up."

"I'm trying," she insisted, as he entered the room.

He looked at Harry snuggled in her arms and obviously sobbing. "Oh grow up!" he exclaimed. "You should be desperate to get away from your mother at all costs by your age. A boy of your age should be a bit more independent."

"Scott, he's only five," Lily exclaimed. "And I've never left him alone for so long… it's new to him."

"Well, he'd better get used to it," Scott growled. "Hurry up and get those cases packed. I don't want to be packing tomorrow and risk missing the flights."

"Of course," Lily replied dumbly.

* * *

Lily gazed over Scott's sleeping body. She played with the ends of a lock of her hair. He was so gorgeous when he was asleep. Lily sighed, wondering when she had stopped feeling for him. She'd used to love and trust him so much. But now she was beginning to wonder what she really felt for him. She loved him. Of course she did. But before he'd never been so forceful or selfish or mean. She needed a man that would treat Harry like his own son. Harry needed a father. But more than she needed a lover?

Scott had been such a charmer when they'd first met. He'd taken her to posh restaurants and invited her back to his apartment where they'd had great fun making love. She'd gone to a party with her best friend, Alice, and had met him there. She decided to have a bit of fun and a short, meaningless fling with him. She hadn't told him about Harry, figuring it would make it too serious.

Two months later they'd still been together and Scott suggested she move in with him. It had seemed right. He was a nice guy and it looked like he would provide the perfect male figure for their little family. She'd agreed and then told him about Harry.

She never noticed before, but now realised that whenever Harry was around he'd always seemed distant. Harry had never really liked him either. His initial excitement at finally having a "daddy" quickly evaporated when he realised that living with another man meant Lily's attentions were now divided. This was especially due to the fact they couldn't do anything together.

She wondered why she'd never realised Scott was so condescending to her son. He treated Harry as a rival lover of hers, part of some ridiculous love triangle, he was jealous of the time they spent together… he didn't treat Harry like the small boy he was. It was like he was always trying to get one over him, be the most witty. But it wasn't really fair. Harry was a five year old boy and Scott was a man in his mid-twenties.

She felt Scott shift beside her and he turned over to look at her with clear blue eyes. He gave a smug smile as he realised what day it was.

"We're going away," he grinned.

Lily nodded, forcing a smile to rise on her cheeks. She wasn't going to ruin his excitement. He deserved this holiday. She may not be looking forward to it but he didn't have to know.

"Everything's ready," she said, "we have to leave in two hours, is all."

"Did you put the tickets somewhere safe?" he asked.

"It's all sorted, honey, you just need to enjoy yourself," she told him.

"You're the best…" he breathed, giving her a soft kiss.

Their romantic moment was interrupted by the telephone ringing.

"Dammit," Scott said.

"I'll answer it quickly, then I'll be right back," she promised.

She walked into the kitchen and picked the phone up. "Lily Evans speaking," she said quietly. It was really only her muggle friends and family that had the number. Scott used the floo network to communicate.

"Mum?" Lily said softly. "What? No way!" she paused as her mother continued. "What am I supposed to do?" Another pause. "But?" Her mother put the phone down at the other end.

"Oh shit!" Lily exclaimed to herself.

She walked back up the stairs and slid into the bed next to Scott. He grinned slowly and brought her closer for as long, passionate kiss.

"Scott," she said urgently.

"What?" he asked, laughing slightly. The thought of going away had obviously put him in a good mood. He tried to pull her lips to his again.

"That was my mum…" she told him through his attempts.

"Oh?" he said, pulling back and raising an eyebrow at her.

"She's ill and the doctor said she shouldn't have contact with anyone, especially children…" she exclaimed.

"So?" Scott asked.

"So?! My mother is ill!" Lily said.

"Is she okay?" Scott corrected.

"Yeah, she'll be alright," Lily nodded.

"Then what's the problem?" he asked.

"She can't look after Harry," Lily reminded him.

"Oh shit," he snapped, repeating her earlier sentiment. "What are we gonna do with him?"

"Scott, we're going to have to cancel or at least postpone the trip," she said, cupping his cheek with her hand.

"What?!" he snapped, "no way! We're going in two hours time… and that's final. Look, Lily, I don't care what you do with him, but you find a solution right now. I expect you in the car in two hours and no later. Is that clear? He's _your _son and not of my problem. You sort it."

"Yes," she replied quietly, getting out of bed and dressing. She walked to Harry's room and knocked on the door. A few minutes later he opened the door, still in his pyjamas.

"Get dressed," she said, "Grandma's ill."

"Are you still going away?" he asked, hoping the answer was no.

"Yes," Lily replied briskly, grabbing his suitcase for the next two weeks.

"Where am I going to stay?" he asked slowly.

"Not sure yet," Lily said, rushing past him.

"Mummy, do you reckon my Daddy would help?" he asked shyly.

Lily blinked. The boy was a genius.

* * *

"I'm afraid Mr Potter won't see you, miss," the maid standing in front of Lily said.

"I don't care how busy he is. I need to see him _now_!" Lily exclaimed.

The maid shook her head, "he's given his word."

Lily paused before trying a new tactic, "did you give him my name?"

"No, I didn't get a chance…" the maid trailed off as Lily pushed past her, pulling Harry with her towards James' office. She gave a sharp knock before striding into the office.

"I said NOT NOW!" James snapped. His face was stony as his eyes focused on Lily. They softened for a moment before hardening again. "Lily?" he asked, his tone clearly conveying he wanted to know exactly what she was doing there.

Lily ushered Harry into the room and shut the door behind them. "James, I need your help…" she said slowly.

"Who's this?" James cut her off and stared pointedly at Harry.

"James, remember before I left Hogwarts… on the last day of school, when we… _you know_," Lily replied, biting her lip.

"Yeah?" James answered, returning his eyes to the report in front of him.

"A week after we moved to France, I… uh… found out-I-I was p-pregnant," she admitted quietly.

"What?" James exclaimed, "you mean?"

"Yeah," Lily clarified, "you're his dad."

"Dad?" Harry cut in.

"I have a son?" James asked.

"You do," she smiled sweetly.

"Why didn't you ever bother to tell me?" he enquired.

"My mum wouldn't let me contact you when I found out I was pregnant and when I left home and Harry was born, I went looking for you but I didn't have any luck. Then I met Scott and I intended it to be a fling but it became kind of serious…" she finished her story.

"How'd you find me now then?" James asked coldly.

"Scott told me where you lived," she answered. "And that's why I'm here… I need your help. Scott and I are going away and mum was supposed to watch Harry but she's ill. Can you care for him while we're away?"

"Lily, I'm _so_ busy!" he said, eyes wide with disbelief, "not at this short notice."

"James! Please! Scott is leaving in two hours, regardless of whether Harry is safe or not!" Lily said desperately. "Don't you care if your son is safe or not!?"

"You obviously don't if you plan on leaving him here," James retorted.

"What!?" Lily asked incredulously, narrowing her eyes.

"I mean do you just plan on abandoning him here like you abandoned me before?" he asked frostily.

"No," she snapped, "and I never abandoned you!"

"I didn't even know you were leaving," he growled.

"My parents didn't exactly give me much notice; my dad's job got moved to France at the last minute," she sighed.

"You could have told me where you'd gone!" James snarled.

"I wasn't allowed!"

"Well, you could have owled me without her knowing!" he said, talking to her as if she was very stupid.

"I couldn't risk it, James!" Lily cried.

"Why not? What could she have done?" he bellowed, "Get out!"

"James!" Lily pleaded, "I really need your help!"

"GET OUT!" he repeated.

"The reason that I didn't contact you was that she'd have forced me to have an abortion," Lily said, her tone deathly quiet. James' eyes opened widely in shock at the thought of his child no longer existing even though he'd only just discovered his existence.

"Goodbye, Harry, love, I'll pick you up as soon as I get back; I love you," she bent to kiss his forehead. "Look after him," she directed the warning to James, before she turned round and stormed out the room, slamming the door behind her.

James watched her go, angry that she could just dump this on him. He frowned and berated himself for allowing Lily to walk out of his life once again.

His eyes slowly turned to the young boy standing in the centre of the room. His face showed wide, innocent eyes filled with fear- very familiar eyes. He smiled at the beautiful, almond-shaped green eyes. The ones he'd fallen in love with. Lily's eyes. He studied the small child for a moment. He was scrawny but quite tall for his age with pale skin. His hair was dark and wild; his face thin, his nose long and perched on top of it was a pair of round glasses. James slowly realised these were all near replicas of his own features. He sighed; this was definitely his son.

There was a knock on the door and his maid walked in nervously. "Sir, the young woman, she's left."

"Left?" James echoed.

"Well, she stormed out here and I watched her go to the door and apparate off the driveway," she clarified.

"Dammit!" James breathed. He looked at Harry for a second, realising he was here to stay. What was he supposed to do with him? He looked to his maid, "take the boy to a spare room, Eve. Make him comfortable; give him food if he's hungry."

"Yes, sir," she gave a slight bow of her head before ushering Harry out of the room.

"Dad?" Harry asked quietly.

James didn't look up from his report. "Take him…" he repeated.

* * *

He woke up, shivering. His lips were dry and a cold sweat surrounded him. "Mum!" he yelled in instinct. He opened his eyes, throwing his duvet off his small body. The duvets were not the normal blue with animals printed on them. Instead they were an incredibly boring cream, in Harry's opinion.

He shivered, remembering he was at his newfound father's house- well mansion. He shuddered, violent images of his dream shadowing his mind. He bit his lip, terrified. He didn't know what to do. He always went to his mum when he had dreams like this but he didn't know how his dad would react to that.

Well, he wouldn't get to sleep now and it would give him a chance to see his dad again. Perhaps James would be less busy now and have time to spend with him and talk to him. After all, his mum had said he was a nice guy. He must have just been very busy earlier.

So it was decided, he'd go and find James.

Harry slid out of bed, ignoring the rather large drop that hadn't seemed so bad when he'd climbed onto the bed. He grabbed his small, stuffed deer that he'd had since he was a few months old and padded over to the door. He pressed down the handle, listening to the soft click that told him the door was open. It was almost eerie in the moonlit darkness of the hallway.

He set off on his journey down the seemingly long corridor. It was like the mansions in old horror films, such as Casper the Ghost, which Harry had watched with his mother last Christmas when Scott was working. He hoped a friendly ghost would come and guide him to his father's study and protect him from the other creatures of the night.

He noticed the magical pictures were mostly asleep in their golden frames. A few, still awake, gazed at him with beady and watchful eyes as he walked. Harry looked up at them in fear, holding Deer tighter to him. The pictures were all a lot older than the ones in Scott's house and creepier looking.

He grumbled, wondering why it seemed like he'd been placed in the room furthest away from his father's office. He was sure the corridor hadn't seemed so long in the daylight.

There was a smooth bench placed against the wall underneath one of the high windows and Harry reached up and stood on it to gaze out the window. The trees were blowing in the wind and rain spattered against the panes.

He wondered what his mother was doing. He hoped she was having a lovely time with Scott. Though he wished she hadn't left him here.

He noticed he was now looking onto the back garden, the opposite side of the house to the one they'd entered by. There was a large lawn with a few flowerbeds and a patio. Behind this was dense collection of trees that Harry guessed to be a forest.

He clambered down from the bench, tripping slightly and landing awkwardly on the floor. He groaned, but quickly picked himself up and continued on his journey.

The moon went behind a cloud and Harry quivered slightly, images from his nightmare still clear in his mind. He wished his father's office was nearer.

He came to a set of two other corridors. Which one did he choose? He vaguely remembered seeing another corridor on his right coming towards his room, so decided to take the one on his current left. This place was like a maze.

Harry continued walking, trying to forget the wind howling outside the building. It sounded like a werewolf, but why would there be a werewolf here? His dad didn't have anything to do with werewolves, right?

A few minutes later, he discovered that his memory had seemed to serve him right. He was back at the main staircase, a grand, polished wood. At the top was his father's office.

He tiredly struggled over to the door. It wasn't this difficult to get to round his own home.

He yawned widely, pausing. Should he knock? What if his dad was busy? Would he be cross? Harry didn't want his new Dad angry with him.

He sighed, deciding to think about it for a minute. He sat down on the floor and before he could make the decision, he fell asleep on the carpeted floor.

Inside the office, James, tired from his work- as it was nearly three o'clock in the morning and he hadn't had a break, fell asleep. His dreams were filled with images of a very familiar redhead.

* * *

Early the next morning, James woke with a start, not at all surprised to be met with his wooden desk rather than a soft pillow. It had happened fairly often recently. He stretched slightly, looking at where he had got to in the report. Much better than he'd expected.

He yawned, realising that he would like some coffee before he continued the work.

He stood, deciding to get his maid to get some for him, as well as having a hot shower and get changed.

He could remember having a very pleasant dream, but wasn't quite sure what it had been about. He didn't think it had been work related, but it didn't really matter. It wasn't important. Dreams weren't going to earn him money or get his work done.

He walked over to the window, the birds were tweeting and a small cat sat on the lawn. He snorted, remembering how he'd used to love scenes like this. Sitting outside with Lily and watching them, what a waste of time! He was glad he was done with love. It was no wonder Bradley was falling behind his own company.

He smoothed back his hair and came to the door. He pushed it opened, feeling it come into contact with a solid object on the other side. He frowned, giving it another push.

Whatever was there moved at the contact and James pushed the door open fully.

Kneeling by the door was his small son, who looked like he'd just woken up.

"What are you doing?" James asked coldly.

"Um… I had a bad dream and I came to find you…" Harry started, watching as James walked past him. "And I fell asleep…" Harry continued; trying to keep up with his father's fast pace. "And then…"

"Go back to your room," James instructed, interrupting his story. He didn't look back, continuing to the downstairs of the house.

"Oh, okay…" Harry replied.

He watched his father striding down the stairs before turning around and sighing loudly. He just didn't understand. His mother had said his father was such a nice man but Harry just couldn't see it. Why was he nothing like she'd said?

He missed her and he couldn't wait to go home.

* * *

**I'm sorry for the wait guys, I really am... I started this weeks ago... But only just got it finished. Sorry!**

**I hope you like, but tell me what ya think... **

**With love JLF xoxo**


	5. Chapter 4

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 4**

Harry bit his lip, watching his father striding across the hallway. He sighed to himself, wondering why his father seemed to dislike him so much. What had he done to him?

He hesitantly placed a foot on the staircase; he wanted to know more about the house he was in. It looked like a good place to go exploring in. So big.

He slowly descended, trying to decide what he could possibly do. James was his father and he wanted his father to like him, not just for his stay but for the rest of his life. He'd wanted a father for so long and now he'd found his real father, he wanted to make things work. There must be a way to make James like him.

He tried to think about the things that made people nice. Such as his mum, she was a nice person. She hugged and kissed him, but he didn't think James wanted him to do that. His mum looked after him when he was ill, but James wasn't ill and Harry didn't know how to look after an ill person anyway. His mum said nice things about him but James didn't listen to him at all. She took him to see his friends, but Harry didn't know James friends or where they lived. His mum brought him presents sometimes but Harry didn't have any money and his mum had forbidden him from going to the shops on his own. But he could make something. Lily made nice stuff for him all the time. James would love it if he could make him something. But what?

How about a cake? His mum always made him cakes when he was upset. That sounded like a good idea, chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

H reached the bottom of the stairs and cast a frenzied glance around; trying to decipher which door may be the kitchen. There was about ten, all finished in the same expensive, polished wood. Harry peeked into one, to find a dining room set up for roughly ten people. Not the kitchen then.

The next door he tried lead to a ball room. It was large and lined with the same polished wood as the doors and a grey marble floor. At one end was a stage or raised platform and along an adjoining wall was a long table that Harry decided must be for food and drink at parties. He slowly closed the door behind him, deciding that he could look at this beautiful room in closer detail later.

The next room he tried did appear to be the kitchen. It was massive; he could fit at least four of their kitchens at home into it. The floor was tiled in terracotta stone, dashed with a geometric pattern. The walls were wallpapered in a plain cream colour and the wooden cabinets were topped with a dull grey work surface, spotlessly clean. In one end, was a door, leading into a herb garden outside and beside it was a cooker.

Harry remembered the first thing his mum always did when she made a cake, put the oven on. He put it on at sixty degrees as he didn't want to burn the cake. He then went to the nearest cupboard and pulled out a large mixing bowl. He lifted it, with difficulty, onto the work surface. He then padded over to the fridge and pulled out a selection of ingredients, eggs, milk and butter. He placed them on the work-surface and found some eggs, sugar and cocoa powder.

He added the milk, flour and butter, then mixed them with a large wooden spoon, from a drawer. He then broke the eggs, trying not to let the shell break into them. It was much more difficult than his mother made it look. He climbed onto the work-surface so he could get a better look at the mixture. He carefully fished out some eggshell from the batter, in-between his fingers and the wooden spoon.

Next he picked up the sugar and it spilled to the floor as he removed the lid. He followed its trail to where there seemed to be another cake mixture fixed to the floor, sugar, flour and eggshells sat beneath him. Harry sighed, returning his attention to the bowl. He decided to add lots of sugar to make the cake especially sweet and then added lots of cocoa powder to make the cake extra chocolatey.

He was just looking for a tray to put the cake in when the door opened.

"Eve, can I have some coffee?" a masculine voice asked. "Are you in here, Eve?"

Harry heard the man sigh, before his father entered the room. His gaze swept over the spilt ingredients all over the floor and worktops before his eyes eventually fell on Harry. His confused stare turned cold as his eyes fell on the young boy.

"What's going on here?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

"It was supposed to be a surprise…" Harry said, distraught.

"What are you doing?" James snarled.

"I made you a cake… but it's not cooked yet, I thought…" Harry rushed to explain. James hadn't seemed to listen to his explanations but he needed to hear this one, to show he wasn't being naughty, that he didn't need a punishment.

"How dare you walk in here, use my things without permission and mess up my house!" James growled. "You are not home! You will not act as if you own the place! You will not use my things and if you wish to you will ask permission first! Do I make myself clear?!"

Harry nodded quietly, looking down at his feet. He was yelling, like Scott did when he was angry with Harry's mum.

"Now," James continued, his voice quiet once again. But if anything it was scarier than when he had been shouting. It made Harry's blood run cold, James' tone suggesting he was dirt on the bottom of his shoe. "You will help Eve clean this mess up," he said, gesturing to the maid who had just arrived in the room. "Then you will go and wash, then get redressed. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, watching as his father turn and storm back towards the door.

"Sir, do you still want coffee?" the maid asked.

"Yes, please, Eve, once this rubbish is cleared up!" James said, briefly turning to look at her. He didn't look at Harry once. "I'll be in my office."

Harry sighed, holding back tears that threatened to fall. He couldn't do anything right, especially where his father was involved. It was no wonder Scott hated him and his mum had gone on holiday without him and his dad didn't want to know about him. He bit his lip, burying his face in his hands; he wished his mum was here now. She would hug him and tell him not to worry, everyone made mistakes.

He felt the maid shift to beside him with some cleaning supplies. She put them down on the work-surface and drew up some hot, soapy water in the sink. "Come on then," she said, offering him a wet cleaning cloth.

She then noticed he was almost crying. "Don't cry," she said slowly, "your dad just expects a lot of people, not just you."

He didn't answer, quietly taking the cloth away from her and wiping the floor. He watched her move over to the cake mixture and give it a stir. It was too sweet and to chocolately, but she hid this from the small boy.

"I'll cook it for you, if you'd like," she suggested, deciding it would be easy enough to make another chocolate cake for him. And he'd still believe it was his creation.

"Thank you," Harry murmured.

"You're welcome," she said. "Thanks for helping clean up, why don't you go and clean yourself up?"

Harry nodded, running from the room. He softly treaded up the stairs, worried of disturbing his father and bearing the brunt of his temper once again.

He went past the door to the office, pausing as he heard his father's deep voice behind the door.

"I- yes, you heard me correctly, Martin," James was saying. "I need a babysitter…"

"Why?" a second voice asked.

"Why?" James echoed, a slight sarcasm added to the tone of his voice. "Because I don't have time to care for any child myself and since he obviously can't be trusted to stay out of trouble on his own…"

"How old is he?" the other man asked.

"Oh, five, I believe," James said sharply, sounding more like he was discussing a business deal than a small child.

"Very well, sir, I will look straight away, how long?" he asked.

"Two weeks, just until his mother returns from her holiday," James said shortly.

"I'll tell you as soon as I find a suitable candidate," Martin said.

"Thank you."

Harry rubbed his eyes sadly; James obviously didn't want anything to do with him. He wasn't even going to try and get to know him. He was just going to get someone else to look after him and then shut him away until Lily arrived home.

He found Deer sitting on the floor from where Harry had fallen asleep last night and then dropped him that morning. He picked him up, looking at the beaded eyes.

He made his way back to his room and threw Deer angrily to the bed. It wasn't fair! Harry had wanted to know his father for ages and now James didn't even want to know him.

He slowly took of his dirty pyjamas, fumbling with the trousers on his small legs. He then walked into the bathroom adjacent to his room, his gaze widening at the size and beauty of it. He hadn't bothered to look yesterday when he'd arrived and Eve had pointed it out to him.

Like most things in the house it was white. There was a ceramic bath and shower at one end and a toilet and sink at the other. There was a long towel rail, weighted down by navy, fluffy towels. There was a large mirror next to it, which caught the light of the sun as it crept in through the large window.

Harry walked to the bath, twisting the tap as he'd seen his mum do so many times for him. The water was freezing and Harry twisted the two taps in various quick successions before realising he couldn't make the water heat up. He felt his body quiver as he covered it in the cold water. He rubbed himself with soap, getting it in his eyes as well as his messy hair.

Eventually, he allowed the water to drain and grabbed one of the towels to wrap his small frame in. he walked, shivering, back to his room and lay down on the huge bed.

-----------------------------------

"Prongs," a voice called as James' office door was thrust open.

"Who is it?" James feigned, pretending he didn't recognise his closest friend. The last thing he needed was Sirius Black to put him off task. His best friend made him do stupid things.

"Prongs, how long have we been friends?" Sirius asked, impatiently, "You'd think you would know my dear voice by now." He dropped James a wink.

James rolled his eyes, "of course I knew, Padfoot."

"So, how ya doing?" Sirius asked him, perching himself on James' desk.

"I'm making good profits," James replied, looking back at his report.

"Not the company, James, how are _you _doing?" Sirius clarified.

"I am well, thank you, Sirius," James said softly. He did have a weakness for his best mate's kindness.

"I'm well too," Sirius said, answering the unasked question.

James gave a snort of laughter, "I'd have noticed if you weren't, Padfoot."

"Would you? Are you sure you wouldn't be too busy?" Sirius raised.

"Padfoot, I'd never be busy enough to neglect you," James said warmly.

Sirius fixed him with a look that stated he clearly didn't believe him. However, he didn't continue the path not wanting to risk another argument between them.

"Did your mother get a good result from the party then?" he asked instead.

James shook his head. "No," he said intensely, "there were none I liked."

Sirius gave a bark of laughter," I suppose you and your mother have completely different ideas of what to look for in a woman."

"No," James answered, "I just don't want to marry at all."

"I suppose Lily really was your one true love," Sirius said, his tone half-teasing and half soft and truthful.

James shook his head violently. "Don't mention her!"

Sirius held back a sigh, "Moony and I are going out for a drink tonight, join us?"

James lifted an eyebrow," you know I can't, you know I'm too busy!"

"James," Sirius reasoned, "one night, mate, c'mon."

"Sorry," James said, flexing in his chair.

"One night?" the other man's voice was pleading.

"I can't."

"Sod the paperwork," Sirius said, compellingly.

James glanced around the room. Sirius' suggestion was very convincing. But there was no way he could.

"Sorry, Padfoot," James said. "I'd better get on with this report."

"Potter, I'll tear it out of your hand!" he exclaimed.

James looked at him slowly. "What time?" he asked.

Sirius didn't miss a beat. "Six o'clock," he said. "The Leaky Cauldron."

"See you then," James replied.

"Don't be late," Sirius warned.

"I won't," James promised.

Sirius didn't allow the smile to grace his face until he had left the office.

-------------------------------

James stumbled up the path of his mansion, from apparating outside the grounds. Anti-apparating spells had been placed around the entire property for protection. He was cursing them now. He was extremely drunk after his night out with Sirius and Remus. He hadn't been this drunk in ages and was beginning to regret the amount of alcohol he had consumed that night. All he wanted was to climb into his comfortable bed and sleep.

He slowly walked into the hallway, leaving his cloak on a large wooden table by near the stairs. He made his way towards the living room and quietly opened the door.

The scene that greeted him warmed James' heart. There sat his five year old son, drawing a picture. Harry had obviously cleaned up from his adventure in the kitchen earlier that day and was now blissfully unaware of anything else going on in the house as he surrounded himself with boxes of coloured crayons, brought from home.

James padded into the room, swaying slightly from his lack of soberness. He almost fell onto the sofa, barely avoiding squashing his small child.

Harry looked up at him with wide, worried eyes. James gave him a calm smile and looked over his shoulder at the picture he was drawing.

The boy moved to prevent him from seeing it. He gave another nervous glance, as if worried he would become upset at any moment.

"Can I see?" James asked quietly.

Harry shook his head, quickly.

"Why?" James asked.

"It's not good, you wouldn't know what it was," Harry argued. No one would. Especially not James, he knew nothing about children.

"I bet I would…" James feigned, though he wasn't so sure himself. But Harry didn't know that, wouldn't do to shatter his confidence.

"Okay…" Harry replied slowly, reluctantly passing the picture.

James' eyes lit up at the first won battle of parenting. His eyes slowly traced the page. Harry had traced a forest picture of trees and green ground. In the foreground he'd drawn two deer, a doe and a stag. The doe grazed peacefully while the stag protected her.

Images of the past crept into James' mind, galloping side by side with a chestnut doe. Grazing on the edges of the forest near her home. Sitting next to a pretty redhead in lessons. Kissing her on the banks of the lake. Their last night together, their night of passion. He shook the tempting thoughts out of his head and returned his attention to his son.

The boy was looking at him, studying his face and biting his lip. James realised he hadn't yet given him a verdict on his picture.

"It's lovely," James said quietly, tears pricking in his eyes.

"You really like it?" Harry piped up.

James nodded, a lump forming in his throat. Before he could stop them the tears were running down his face and he launched into a drunken babble.

The only words Harry could pick out were "Lily" and "baby". He frowned slightly. His father certainly didn't seem like a weak sort of person. He slowly approached his father's side, like a wildlife expert approaching an easily scared bird. He placed a small hand on his arm as he knelt on the sofa to reach his father's excessive height. As he did so, Deer, who had been sitting at his side, fell to the floor.

James bent and delicately picked him up between careful fingers. "Who's this?" he asked.

"His name's Deer," Harry replied.

James didn't have the heart to tease him about the originality of the stuffed fawn's name.

"Perhaps you should draw him in the picture," James suggested.

Harry nodded happily, at once settling down to add the idea to his image.

James watched him drawing, once again studying him. He could see more of Lily in him now, his nose was shorter and he had also received Lily's smaller height for the time being. He could see the emerald eyes gleaming contently and they reflected Lily's so well.

He felt a strange type of grief he hadn't felt in a long time and he gave and elongated moan under his breath, no doubt stimulated by the alcohol. He rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Harry pick up the pick colouring crayon to colour the fawn's ears. He drew the fawn cuddled up to his father, his head looking up towards him.

He looked up at James again as if asking for his approval. James nodded once again, since he felt he couldn't really speak without giving away his emotions.

Harry pursed his lips and compared his drawing with the stuffed deer now sitting on his father's lap.

"It's not the same," he said quietly.

"I think it's wonderful," James disagreed.

Harry favoured him with a thoughtful look. "Would you like it, D-….?" He cut off, unsure as to how he should address him with their seemingly new friendship.

James looked ecstatic. "You'd give it to me?" he asked.

Harry nodded shyly. "I want you to have it," he admitted.

James grinned. "Thanks," he breathed.

The boy next to him yawned widely and James inwardly agreed with him, it _was _time for bed.

He raised an eyebrow at Harry.

"I think someone is tired," he stated.

Harry shook his head. "I'm fine," he insisted.

"Well, I am if you're not," James said. His head was beginning to pound again. Curse Sirius and his persuasiveness, if it wasn't for him, James could have completed his work and wouldn't be drunk and looking forward to a big hangover tomorrow. Or not, as the case may be.

Harry silently agreed, not wanting to upset his father once again in their seemingly rocky relationship. "Goodnight, dad," he said sleepily, getting slowly up off the sofa.

James smiled, reaching down to hug him.

"Night, Harry," he said, kissing his cheek, before ruffling his hair.

"Goodnight."

James waited until he heard his footsteps climbing the stairs. He leisurely climbed the stairs, tired. He opened the door to his bedroom, for the first time in a while passing his office without even a glance.

He sat on the bed and removed his shoes, trousers and shirt. He slung them in his washing basket, just standing in his boxers. He didn't bother going into the bathroom but lay down in the warm inviting bed, feeling that he would be up in a few hours to throw up the sins of his night out.

His mind flooded with images of the past few days… Lily's arrival, the discovery of his son, being put in charge of his son. Merlin, how he'd once adored that woman.

He closed his eyes, letting his head loll back against the pillows. He was shattered but he just couldn't sleep, his mind too full of such exciting thoughts.

He briefly wondered if he had any hangover potion but the thought was soon lost and he was lost in deep dreams of the woman he had loved and lost.

* * *

**Does anyone think I need a beta? Please vote in your reviews...**

**Another plea for my writers group, of a joint Lily/James fic. www(dot)freewebs(dot)com/james-lily-flower**

**An introductory video is on my youtube account www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=TDSussN921Y&feature=channel_page**

**Thanks,**

**Love JLF xoxo**


	6. Chapter 5

**Are You Coming**

**Chapter 5**

It was about ten o'clock when Harry woke from the deep, comfortable sleep he'd had. It was the best he'd slept since Scott and his mum had returned from the ball where they'd seen his dad for the first time. Since then he'd been worried that Scott would take out some of his anger about the identity of his father, out on Harry. Scott did scare Harry, but his mum loved him and he wouldn't tell her how scared of Scott he was. He wanted to be a brave, strong man like Scott, one that his mum would really love. One that could talk to her however he wished without ever fearing her anger. One that could protect her from terrible things.

He slid out of the duvets and stepped on the cool floor, remembering the reason for his happiness. He'd talked properly to his dad the previous evening. James had been really nice to him, talking softly to him, rather than shouting and scolding.

He rushed to the door, not caring that it was cold in the airy corridor but just wanting to find his father. The first place he tried was his father's office, but it was empty. Then he went to the kitchen. That was empty too. He returned to the lounge, where he'd sat with James last night. It was also empty. Where was his father?

He realised that his dad might still be asleep. He didn't want James to waste the whole day. Grandma Evans said that getting up late wasted hours in the day. Hours that he could be doing things with his father.

But there were so many rooms here, how would he ever find James' room?

He'd have to look in each individual room.

He walked back up the stairs and started close to James' office. He went left at the office and tried the first door after that. It was a room with a long table and chairs. The sort that men in suits held meetings in on the television, Harry considered.

He sighed, closing the door behind him once again. He wondered how his father managed living in such a huge house. Didn't he ever get lost? Harry thought he'd get lost if he lived here.

He opened the next door along to be met with a big white room. It was clean, plain and well equipped. In the centre of the room was a large bed with navy blue bed-sheets. In the bed, lay James Potter. Fast asleep.

Harry rushed over to the bed and crawled onto it.

"Dad!" He called. "Dad?"

The figure stirred slightly, but didn't wake. Harry watched him carefully, waiting for any change in his condition.

James didn't stir.

"Dad, Dad!" Harry tried again. "Wake up!"

He bounced on the bed, eager for his father to start their day together. Again, there was no reply.

----------------------------

He knew waking up was a bad idea. He didn't know how he'd thought this while he was asleep or even what had woken him, but he'd known it. He'd also known he shouldn't have gone drinking with Sirius the previous evening. He'd never get any work done now. Just a short nap would get rid of the hangover would help him to feel better.

He turned over to return to sleep but whatever or whoever had woken him was very persistent.

"Dad, Dad! Wake up!" the voice insisted.

James felt the bed sink next to him and the figure started bouncing energetically on the soft mattress. James growled slightly under his breath. It sounded deafening to his ears in his state of hangover, but couldn't have been that loud as the awakener paid no attention.

He shoved clumsily in the direction of the movement, without success. He was too tired to stretch out far enough to reach the person.

"Dad, c'mon, you have to get up!" the voice tried once again. "Please!"

James growled a second time and swore slightly.

"Shut up!" he snapped and immediately regretted making a loud sound. His head pounded again. "I'm trying to sleep!"

"But it's morning." The awakener sounded puzzled now.

James turned to squint at the person. Squint because the light hurt his eyes and squint because his glasses were on the bedside table. The figure had a mop of messy hair.

"Go away!" he snapped.

The boy looked at him solemnly, "Dad?"

"Will you leave me alone, you stupid kid?" James snapped, his squint changing to a glare. "As I said, _I'm trying to sleep_!"

James rolled over to the other side of the bed, pulling one of the many pillows over his head and closing his eyes tightly.

Harry crawled forward over the length of the bed and lifted the corner of the pillow to peek at his father's face. He gently touched a small hand to the man's burning skin. James scowled at the freezing touch of the small child and shoved him away. Harry narrowly avoided being flung on the floor and landed at the edge of the king-size. If the bed had been any smaller he'd have been badly hurt.

"Ow," Harry said quietly. "Dad, are you okay?"

"No!" James snarled. "Just go away!"

Harry's eyes focused on James' bedside table. The wooden cabinet had a pair of round glasses, much like his own, resting on the smooth surface, a few quills and a book about work. On top of the book but under James' glasses, was the picture of three deer that Harry had drawn the previous evening.

Harry lent over slowly, his fingers reaching for his work, the proof that everything had been fine last night.

Why was his dad so angry this morning? What had Harry done wrong?

Harry couldn't help the small pout on his lips as he continued to lean over his father's dosing figure. He'd thought everything would be fine once he found his father, he'd be so happy to see him, that he'd wanted to meet him just as much as Harry had (on some small level, even though he hadn't know he'd existed). This was something Harry had wanted for so long. But why wasn't James the perfect father Harry had always imagined?

Harry lost his balance slightly, just as his fingers closed around the image. He toppled onto his father, his small fist banging into James' sore head.

James hissed in pain and turned over quickly to look at Harry. He was livid. Whilst glaring at Harry, he grabbed the image out of his son's hands.

"GO!" he shouted.

Harry didn't realise that his father was after the picture early enough and he watched in horror as his artwork ripped between their hands.

He was frozen in shock for a few minutes; a then proceeded to snatch the two ripped halves out of James' fingers. He threw himself off the bed, shakily getting to his feet and ran as quickly as he could into the hallway.

He could hear his father's heavy breathing as he shut the door, loudly. Hot tears ran down his cheeks as he looked at where the image had split. To one side of the fawn, leaving doe and fawn without the stag.

The tears came faster, was this it? Was Harry never to have the relationship with his father he so desperately wanted? He so desperately needed?

He'd always imagined his parents meeting again and his dad being ecstatic to meet him. And his mum would leave Scott and marry his dad. Like it was meant to be.

Why wasn't that happening now?

He ran down the stairs and headed towards the front door. Anywhere to get away from the crushing rejection of his father. His mum had always said he shouldn't leave home without telling someone, without someone with him… but his mum wasn't here and he didn't think James would care.

He was almost at the door, when the door opened from the other side. It shot open with an energetic laugh from one man. The man beside him groaned slightly.

"Padfoot, James will kill you if you break his house!" the groaning man exclaimed.

"Moony, I think Prongs will kill me for convincing him to come out drinking last night," the first man chuckled. This one had dark hair, which curled slightly. His hair was slightly longer than James' and his face was extremely handsome. His eyes were dark, but joyful and kind.

The other man was thinner, with pale hair. He looked tired and sensible but very friendly. He turned inquisitive eyes to stare at Harry.

The first of the two men turned to look at Harry also. He carefully regarded him for a few minutes, before exclaiming, "look, Moony, he's just like a green-eyed Prongs."

"He does appear very similar to James," the man called Moony agreed uncertainly.

Harry wanted to answer them, to tell them that James was his father but he was too sad.

"An upset mini-Prongs," his friend answered.

Moony bent to Harry's level, placing a hand on his shoulder. A small whimper escaped Harry's lips as he looked into those kind eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked carefully.

Harry felt he could trust the men.

"My dad hates me…" he cried, amazed how easily he could say the words that were the truth. "He made me leave and then he ruined my present…" Harry said, showing them the picture.

The first man stroked Harry's arm. "We can mend it, right, Moony?" he said proudly.

Moony nodded and pulled his wand out of his robes. He took the picture from Harry and tapped the thin wood lightly against the paper. He gave it back to Harry and Harry couldn't help but grin when he saw the image was once again untouched. He just wished it was so easy to repair the damage in his family.

"We need to talk to our friend," Moony eventually said. He sounded serious. "Why don't you ask Eve to get you some breakfast, she'll be in the kitchen and perhaps we can come back soon."

The other man smiled softly before following Moony up the stairs, towards James' bedroom. Harry knew this because James was the only other person apart from himself and Eve in the house.

He played with the picture, before deciding that Moony was right, breakfast sounded perfect. He walked over to the kitchen, hoping Eve would be semi-nice to him again today.

* * *

**Hey guys, I'm so sorry this has taken so long! I've had exams, choir courses/singing exams(in the plural) and then a Twilight shift, but my HP has been rekindled by the 6th movie. How did everyone find it? I loved it... **

**Reviews would be loved, plus any suggestions... thanks for your patience... **

**love JLF xoxo **


	7. Chapter 6

**Are You Coming? **

**Chapter 6**

There was another knock on the door. Followed by another. And one more. James counted them. One. Two. Three.

He groaned, still loud, head still sore. He shoved his head under the pillow once again and refused to pay any attention to the noise that roared in her ear. Make it stop, he thought, Merlin, make it stop.

The door opened and a beam of light fell across the curtain darkened room but James didn't notice it. He rolled onto his back, muttering about the bad morning he appeared to be having and cursing his son for waking him and his friends for getting him drunk in the first place.

"Damn, Sirius Black," he growled.

"Now, Prongs, that's not nice," an all too familiar voice said. The voice he least wanted to hear at this moment. He'd rather have two Harrys with him, yelling and jumping around than to see Sirius at the moment.

"Go to hell, Black," he called out.

"Prongs-" Sirius whined.

"Shhhh, Padfoot!" James exclaimed, burying himself under the duvet.

"Good morning to you too, Prongs. Now, who's that little kid we saw downstairs? Dark black hair, thin nose, glasses…" Sirius asked.

"Piercing green eyes," Remus continued, suggesting he knew exactly who Harry was.

"Padfoot, Moony, I'm really tired, my head hurts and I feel like crap, can you please leave me alone and let me get some sleep so I might be able to complete some work later?" James asked.

"Prongs, come on, the suspense is killing me! I want to know who he is!" Sirius tried again.

"Well, we can't always have what we want, Sirius, can we?" James said, his voice cold.

"Why can't we discuss it now?" Sirius tried again.

"Because I have a hangover!" James exclaimed, sitting up suddenly in the bed. "Shit!" he exclaimed as he felt the pain in his head once again.

"You're either using this as a really bad excuse or you are obviously out of practice for dealing with hangovers!" Sirius said. "I mean the amount you drank last night would have been nothing to you once!"

"Yeah? Well I have a lot more important things to do than drinking now-a-days," James retorted, his eyes flashing at his closest friends.

Sirius looked appalled at the idea that there were possibly more important things in life that drinking. He was about to respond to James' comment when Remus cut him off.

"Prongs, you can't use that as an excuse, you've always kept a good strong hangover potion in the top shelf in the bathroom, I know from years of bringing you two home drunk… I'll get you some and you'll be your true self in no time. Then you can tell us who the little boy is," Remus smiled, thoroughly anticipating the story.

It took a few minutes for James to drink the potion, enjoy a good breakfast, shower and dress before he was ready to talk to Remus and Sirius. They waited patiently in his meeting room, well Remus patiently, Sirius was not so patient. By the time James returned, the dark haired man had thought of all sorts of different senarios by which the young boy had come to live in James' house. Was he James' adopted child, brought to take over the company? His dead cousin's child? (Not that Sirius was aware that James' cousin had died or that she had a child.) Had the child run away from the circus and found James? Was James employing children to work in his house now?

Remus allowed Sirius to talk through his ideas, while he sat there in the knowledge of exactly who the boy was but eager to know the circumstances that he had come to the Potter house by.

James came in and sat at the head of the table. His hazel eyes were weary as he clutched a mug of coffee.

"Spill," Sirius instructed.

James gave a long sigh before talking. "At that party my mum had the other night, I went into my storage room to escape from all those annoying girls my mother had invited and I saw a figure standing in the room. As I went in to tell her to get out, she turned around. It was Lily…"

Both boys gasped, after the years James had once spent looking for the once girl of his dreams, to suddenly find her, was absolutely shocking. They were both silent and allowed James to carry on.

"Then two days ago I was sitting in my office, working-"

"_As always_," Sirius muttered under his breath.

James gave him a dirty look before continuing. "When Eve knocked on my door, she said there's someone at the door that wanted to see me. So I asked her who it was and she said it was some girl. I told her I was too busy to see a simple girl and told her to go away. The girl persisted arguing in with Eve and eventually forced her way into my office. I was shocked to see that girl was Lily Evans-"

Sirius gave a dramatic gasp, just where James needed it.

"She brought this small boy in with her and said that she was going away with her boyfriend and I needed to look after the boy because… because… I'm his _father_," he said the last word in a whisper, as if ashamed.

"You have a kid?" Sirius asked, "I'm an uncle! Is Lily the mum?"

"Yeah, she is," James nodded.

"That's so sweet!" he replied. "But when? How?"

"Well, Lily and I slept together on the last day of sixth year, just before she disappeared," James continued his explanation. "And apparently her parents took her away without any notice; her dad's job suddenly got moved to France. Her parents weren't so fond of me, just as my parents weren't fond of her. A few weeks later she must've discovered her pregnancy and when she told her parents they forbid her from contacting me or she would've had to have an abortion."

"Oh, that's sweet, she gave up her true love to keep your child," Sirius commented.

"And what help is that to me?" James asked, his tone scathing.

"You have a son!" Sirius exclaimed, the excitement evident in his voice.

"I've been landed with this great lump of a child, he's stupid, he's naughty, he's a complete utter nuisance," James tried to explain his feelings for Harry.

"James, he's beautiful," Remus finally said.

"But I have no time for such things," James leant back in the chair, thinking of all the work he'd planned to get done before returning to the office the next day.

"I don't suppose you do!" Sirius said coldly. "But _I _do! Leave him to me, Prongs, I'll keep him amused."

"Yes, please, get him out of my hair. Thank you, Sirius, just until I find a babysitter for him. I won't dump him on you for too long," Sirius gave a snort, implying that Harry could never be a problem to him. James stood, gave his friends a half-smile and walked out the room.

---------------------

The next day was the end of the weekend and Harry had to return to school. He'd had fun the previous evening, with Sirius and Remus. Sirius was easy to get along with; he was so child-like and seemingly carefree. Remus had seemed scary at first, particularly when Sirius confided in him that Remus was a werewolf. Remus, however, was so gentle and caring. Harry couldn't understand how James had such caring friends when he was so horrible.

Harry had been particularly upset that morning when the two men had dropped him off at school. He'd found that Sirius and Remus had to go away that night, working. Remus and Sirius were aurors which Harry thought was absolutely fascinating. He'd heard stories from his Mum about aurors. He wished he could go with them that evening.

It was therefore up to Harry's father to collect him from school.

It was a fairly tedious day, back to normal after the strange and reasonably terrifying weekend Harry had had. He told Hermione and Ron what had happened but pretended that everything was fine; he told them that his dad was rich and kind.

That afternoon, he waited in the playground at the end of school with the other children. Hermione and Ron said goodbye to him as each of their parents arrived. Ron's younger sister waved at him from her mother's arms. Ron had so many brothers _and _a little sister. Harry briefly wondered what it would be like to have a brother or sister.

Harry watched as the playground emptied until he was the only child left. The teachers all went back into their classrooms, not noticing the small boy sitting underneath the chestnut tree. It was starting to get cold and Harry shivered and pulled his coat more tightly around his small body. He began to imagine that his mum had picked him up and that she'd hugged him as he'd waved goodbye to his friends.

Finally, after what felt like hours he left the school and decided to walk home. It wasn't far from here and he'd walked often enough with his mother. He slowly walked through the park as it was getting dark. There was no lighting inside the park but he knew where he was. Just as he was about to enter the brightly lit street around the corner from his house, Harry heard a rustling.

He remembered Ron talking about wild animals hiding in bushes and went to investigate in case he saw something interesting. The rustling stopped and Harry turned back towards the road, disappointed. Just as he was about to leave the park, a dark figure jumped over the high hedge surrounding the park and rushed towards him.

* * *

**So, Sirius and Remus know about Harry now... if you want the next chapter soon you really will have to review and give me the inspiration for the next chapter.  
Thanks for all of you for still keeping with this, means a lot to me. **

**With love JLF xoxo**


	8. Chapter 7

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 7**

"Harry, duck!" the figure cried at him.

Harry just looked at the figure blankly as he raced towards him. From the bushes he had been about to investigate came two other figures with pitch black robes and silver masks. The mouths of the masks leered at him and he stood there frozen with fear.

"Harry, move now!" the man behind him cried out.

Harry tried to move his feet but the muscles didn't seem to be able to cooperate with his brain. The masked figures moved towards him, wands pointed at him. He was too frightened to even scream. He was going to die. He'd never see his mother again or sort things out with his dad. His mum would be left alone with Scott forever. He tried to turn and look at the man behind him but his eyes were transfixed on the much more threatening figures opposite him.

Whoever it was he had his back to was obviously fed up with the unresponsive reactions of his body for he gave Harry a not so gentle shove in the back and then caught him with one hand before he could fall forward. Harry looked up at the man and saw a pair of anxious hazel eyes and round wire-framed glasses.

"RUN!" his father shouted and pushed him in the direction of the park gates.

Harry did as his father said, trying not to let his terrified shaking prevent him from escaping. Tears of fear ran down his cheeks, now grubby from salt water. His could hear his father shouting curses and hoped that James would be okay. He continued to run in the direction of home, the only place that he knew he'd be safe.

He ran into the garden and hid in one of the bushes, shivering due to both the cold and terror. Hidden in the shrubbery and behind the stone wall, Harry could no longer hear the sounds of the fight. He wondered what was happening as he pulled the leaves off the bush for something to do. He knew his mum wouldn't be happy that her plant was destroyed but at this moment he was too scared to care.

"Mum, I miss you," he said under his breath as fat tears continued to gush. He wrapped his arms around his knees and rocked slowly backwards and forward, listening for any sounds around him. There was nothing but a faint breeze and Harry wished he could be snuggled up in Lily's arms more than ever.

Eventually Harry heard footsteps and he held his breath incase one of the dangerous figures had got past his dad.

"Harry?" he heard his father's voice, he sounded tense. "Where are you, Harry?"

Harry crawled out from his hiding spot and peeked warily around the wall at James. His father reached out to grab him and bent down to his level.

"What were you thinking running off on your own? You should have stayed near the school!" James ran a hand through his hair and looked up to the sky. "You could have been hurt, I could have lost-" he cut himself off. "When I tell you to do something, you do it! If I tell you to duck, you duck. If I tell you to move, you move!"

Harry nodded, his mouth parched.

"Let's go home."

James took Harry's hand and the next thing Harry knew it felt like he was being compressed on from all sides, squeezed through elastic bands. And then it was over. James led him up towards the house. When Harry threw a look back over his shoulder, there was a stag and a fawn standing on the edge of the property, where the garden met the forest. They were standing together contently, the stag watching as the fawn grazed.

When James entered the house, he ordered Eve to run Harry a warm bath and give him some hot food. Harry allowed himself to be bathed and ate all the food, hungrily. But his mind was plagued with many questions, questions than he wanted, no, needed to ask James.

Just after he finished his food, Sirius and Remus arrived back from their mission. Harry cuddled up on the sofa, peeking through sleepy eyes at Sirius and Remus as James recounted their afternoon adventure. When James finished speaking, Remus looked solemn.

"What would Death Eaters want with a five year old child?" he asked.

James frowned. "I don't know," he admitted.

"I doubt it was a specific attack though, Prongs, Death Eaters are always pulling scare attacks on random victims," Sirius pointed out. "There's no pattern."

"But what harm was Harry to do them?" James asked.

Remus shrugged. "All we know is that they're attacking children unprovoked now. We need to tell Moody."

"No," James shook his head. "The aurors aren't managing to do anything about the Death Eaters- no offense, guys, we need to tell Dumbledore."

"But half the ministry don't trust Dumbledore anymore," Sirius objected.

"No, Padfoot, Prongs is right; Dumbledore is the only person who can help now. But first you'll need to explain exactly who Harry is to him," Remus told him.

James nodded slowly just as Harry yawned. "You should go to bed," James instructed.

Harry sighed; he didn't really want to leave the conversation now. He sat up and watched as Remus and Sirius went to collect their cloaks. James then showed them to the door, arranging to go and talk to Dumbledore the following morning. Finally James returned to the lounge and lifted and eyebrow when he saw that Harry was still sitting in the same place on the sofa.

"I meant it when I said it was your bedtime," James repeated.

"Dad, who were they?" Harry asked. "The people with masks?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," James replied. "Now, bed." He gestured to the door and Harry reluctantly rose and padded out.

"Goodnight, dad," he said. He quietly closed the door when James didn't answer him.

----------------------------------------

James took Harry to school the next day, reminding him to be careful and not to go off on his own. Harry watched him leave the school and compared their farewell to the farewells of his classmates and their fathers.

Ron was talking about a new toy his dad had got him throughout the first hour of school. He said that he wanted Harry to come over so they could play with it and he would invite Hermione but he didn't think she'd like the toy because it was a boy's toy. Hermione was quiet as usual because she always liked to pay attention to lessons. Between Ron's talking and thinking about the events of the previous evening, Harry didn't understand a word the teacher was saying. When he was asked a question, he didn't know the answer and was told off for not paying attention. He knew that his friends realised that something was wrong from the way they were looking at him.

At play time, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to sit on a bench in the playground. Normally they'd run around and play games but Harry didn't feel like running around for the moment. Hermione, who was always perceptive, asked him what was the matter.

Harry explained about his problems with his dad and how he didn't seem to care for him at all and how everything he did seemed to be wrong. He told them about his attempt to make cake and then about his picture and how it had been ripped. Then he described the fun he'd had with Remus and Sirius but that they weren't his dad and wondered why they liked him more than James did. Then he told them about the masked men that had tried to attack them the previous evening.

Before either Ron or Hermione could answer, the cruellest boy in their year came up after obviously listening to their conversation. His blonde hair was brushed back against his head and his eyes sparkled callously.

"It's not really a surprise, is it, Potter?" the boy asked, "I mean he left you alone before you were born. Why would he want you now?"

"Shut up, Draco," Harry said, "you don't know anything about my dad."

Draco just laughed, "no, but I'm sure he doesn't like having a coward for a son. I mean you just stood there! No wonder he hates you! I'd hate to have a coward for a son. But I suppose if there weren't cowards no one could tell who was brave-"

"Go away!" Hermione told him, coldly.

Draco just glared at her but wandered off.

"Don't listen to him," Hermione told Harry.

"No, perhaps he's right, perhaps dad does think I'm a coward," Harry considered. "I need to prove him wrong!" Harry sat up quickly and if he'd been in a cartoon he would have had a light bulb sketched above his head.

"How will you do that?" Hermione asked, her forehead creased in confusion.

Ron gave Harry a wide smile. "By being brave, of course," he provided.

"Just like that," Harry replied, his answering smile just as bright.

* * *

**Hi guys, sorry this took a bit longer than I intended to get out... I suddenly realised I had to study for my driving theory test but I passed it :) So I gave myself some time to myself today... Well done to anyone who guessed correctly who the figure was... Reviews would be lovely as always... I hope to get a chapter out in the next week but the next 3 weeks will be really hectic as I'm organising a concert, have 1 choir and 4 college auditions.**

**The "Harry, duck" is making me laugh because everytime I look at the top of the page I think it says "Hey duck" and I start wondering why I started the chapter like that... hmmm. It was a vair early start this morning and I didn't get much sleep last night. **

**With love JLF xoxo **


	9. Chapter 8

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 8 **

At the end of school, Harry and Ron agreed to meet at the edge of James' estate to practice 'being brave'. James sent Eve to pick him up that afternoon and Harry sighed loudly when he realised James wasn't standing near the gates like he should have been. Eve took him to an empty side road and there was that strange squeezing sensation and he was back at the mansion.

Harry bounded loudly up the stairs when he realised James' office door was open. He lingered at the doorframe and smiled widely when James lifted his head from the parchment on his desk.

"Hello," he said, excitement colouring his tone.

"Hello," James said, raising an eyebrow.

"What're we doing this afternoon?" Harry asked, his grin not failing and his eyes sparkling.

"_You _are going to stay inside and stay out of trouble," James said.

"But… I… Ron and I…-" Harry started.

"Off you go and play," James said, moving his eyes back to his report. "But behave!"

Harry nodded mutely and left the office, closing the door with a slight click. He started to make his way towards his room as he had been told but then realised that he couldn't just leave Ron to play on his own. Besides he needed to learn about being brave so his dad would like him.

"HARRY!" Ron shouted and waved to him as he neared the edge of James' home.

Harry waved back and went to sit next to Ron on the soft grass.

"It's certainly a big house," Ron commented, staring at it in awe. Ron's family weren't particularly rich, especially since they had seven children.

"It's too big, it's so easy to get lost inside," Harry told him.

Ron nodded and focused Harry his mind on a more important matter. "So, being brave," Harry began.

"Being brave is simple," Ron smirked, "all you have to do is be scarier than whatever's scaring you!"

"Umm…" Harry said slowly, obviously not understanding what Ron was talking about.

"Grrr!!!" Ron growled, his small boy's face, covered in many childish freckles, wrinkled due to the 'scary' face he was pulling.

"Oh… Rawr!" Harry said, trying to pull his own version of a scary face.

Ron, much to Harry's annoyance, started laughing. "You look like a sheep!" he commented, laughing and clutching his stomach.

"Oh!" Harry said.

"Okay now, stand very straight, sick out your chest, take the deepest breath you ever took in your whole life-" Ron watched to check that Harry was doing as he had instructed, "now let it out with a big GRRR!!!"

"RAWR!" Harry said, his attempt at being scary just as unconvincing as the previous.

Ron stood there and blinked slowly. He watched Harry's face carefully. "You're gonna need a lot of practice," he said apologetically. "Do what I do!" Ron coached, crouching down. "I'm a dragon, GRRRR, ROAR!!!"

"Alright," Harry joined in his game, "I'm a griffin, RAWR!"

Ron set off at a run with Harry following. "Come on, Harry, you can do it!" he encouraged, "Grrr!"

"Rawr!"

"Watch me," Ron said, excitement colouring his voice. "Grr!"

Ron ran as fast as he could with Harry trying to catch him. "Come on, try again," he said, indicating to a butterfly, challenging him to scare it.

"Rawr!" Harry tried, watching the butterfly flutter away.

"Yeah, that was a good one!" Ron said, trying to sound convincing.

"GRR!" Ron spotted a bee sitting on a nearby tree truck and snarled at it.

"RAWR!"

Harry and Ron gave unison scream as the bee flew after them for disturbing it. The bee lazily got back to work on the tree's blossoms once the boys had run away.

"GR!"

"RA-OW!" Harry caught his foot on a rock and tripped to the floor. He put out his hands to break his fall.

"Harry! Are you okay?" Ron asked, helping his friend up.

"I'm fine, just a little trip," Harry insisted.

"I thought I recognised your scream," another voice came from behind a set of bushes that the boys were walking past.

Harry pulled himself up and wiped dry mud off his trousers. "I-"

"What are you two losers doing anyway?" the blonde boy asked. "I thought you'd be at home trying to make your father like you, Potter. It might take a while. You'd best start now."

"Shut it, Malfoy," Ron recommended quietly.

"What?" Malfoy asked, narrowing his eyes.

"He said 'shut up'!" Harry growled, still in his 'brave' mood.

"What did you say, _princess_?!" Malfoy snarled, his eyes focusing on the smaller, dark-haired boy.

"Nothing…"

"Come on, Harry," Ron whispered.

"I said 'shut up'!" Harry said fiercely.

"GR!" Malfoy snapped and rushed towards the other two boys.

Both Ron and Harry turned quickly and ran back towards James' house, fleeing the furious Draco.

"Where do we go?!" Ron asked, breathlessly.

"Back to the house," Harry called after him. "We'll be okay there."

As they reached the safety of the mansion's gardens, Harry tripped and Malfoy caught up with him.

"Harry!" Ron called.

Harry gulped in fear, wondering what Malfoy would do now that he had caught up with him. Malfoy angled for what Harry was sure would be a heavy punch but something in the air seemed to be stopping him. Harry watched as Malfoy punched the air above him a few times before giving up and running off as they all noticed James standing by the gate and watching them.

"Uh oh!" Ron breathed as Harry stood up and made his way over to his father.

Harry remembered his father's previous words.

"**You**_ are_ _going to stay inside and stay out of trouble."_

"I…" Harry began.

"Did you just shield against him?" James asked.

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"You stopped him from attacking you with magic," James explained, traces of astonishment in his voice.

"I guess so, Sir," Harry said fearfully.

"I didn't do any magic that strong until I was in Hogwarts," James said, smiling softly at the memory.

Harry looked at him, eyes wide open and he smiled brightly, for the first time feeling approval from his father. He stared up into hazel eyes. James hid his smile by pursing his lips together. He raised an eyebrow at his son.

"Well we better be going… uh… inside, yes, inside," James told him. "Say goodbye to your friend."

James walked off towards the house. "Wow, he's never said anything nice like that before," Harry commented.

"I guess he saw how brave you were," Ron commented.

"I better go," Harry grinned, "bye, Ron!"

"Bye, Harry." Ron watched as Harry followed his father inside, smiling because he was sure things were going to get better now.

* * *

**Yay, I had hoped to get a chapter out by now! What did you think of it? **

**With love JLF xoxo **


	10. Chapter 9

**Hi guys, I'm going to apologise for the long time this has taken coming and also the extreme shortness of the chapter, but it seemed like a good place to stop. Comments would be lovely, I hope you all have nice Christmases! :)  
****JLF xx**

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 9 **

"Come on, Harry, this is simple, you did more than this yesterday!" Ron exclaimed as the two boys knelt in the long grass in the gardens of James' estate. Ron's eyes were full of excitement while Harry's were unsure.

"Maybe I won't be able to do it," Harry said slowly. "Maybe it wasn't me."

"But your dad said-" Ron said.

"Maybe he just said those things," Harry suggested but in his heart of hearts, Harry knew this couldn't be so; James wouldn't have said such nice things if he hadn't meant them. Sadly, that was the kind of person his father was.

"He didn't," the red-haired boy said quickly, refusing to let his friend become even more downhearted due to the relationship with his father.

Harry shrugged and returned his focus to Deer. Ron had convinced him that they should try more magic today and see if Harry could impress James again. It was early afternoon and the boys had just got back from school. James was at work and Eve had been left to watch over them. Currently, Harry was trying to get Deer to move, just like a real fawn. It hadn't gone well so far.

The truth was Harry wasn't sure how to. All he knew was that yesterday he had been desperate to stop Malfoy from hurting him and the magic had happened on its own. He wasn't sure if merely wanting Deer to come to life was enough to make it happen.

"Go on, Harry," Ron encouraged again.

Harry nodded slowly. "Okay," he said tentatively. He closed his eyes and wished and hoped and imagined Deer running across the long grass of the lawn. The felt hooves moved gracefully, his head was held high and his eyes gleamed with life.

When Harry opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Ron's eyes, full of surprise and awe. He followed the other boy's gaze in the direction of the forest, to see Deer gently loping away from them.

"I did it," he said quietly allowing a slight smile to spread across his face.

"Well done, Harry," Ron exclaimed as they followed the stuffed toy across the forest.

Harry's smile widened. "I actually did it!" he commented.

His green eyes followed Deer to the edge of the forest. Standing there gracefully was a large stag, the same stag Harry had seen a few days earlier, the night he had been attacked. The only difference was that last time Harry had seen the stag, he had been with his fawn and yet the fawn was nowhere to be seen. The beautiful little fawn, with a pale hide and snowdrop spots. He wondered if the stag was now very lonely, considering its child had gone or whether he was like Harry's father and wouldn't care very much.

Harry looked up once again and saw that Deer had fallen lifelessly to the ground while he had been distracted. He ran over and picked up the toy holding it to him. He turned and gave a slow sigh as he looked at Ron.

"Well, at least you did it," Ron said, "why don't you try again?"

"Yes!" Harry agreed, "and this time for longer." He had to impress his father again; he just couldn't allow him to disappear from his life.

It wasn't as hard for Harry to get Deer moving again the second time and soon the stuffed toy was trotting across the grass once again. The boys both laughed as they realised that Harry was once again successful.

Harry was once again distracted but this time by his father coming into view. James entered the estate by the front gate and walked up the path, obviously heading towards the house. He walked towards the boys after spotting them kneeling in the grass.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at Harry.

"We're practicing magic," Harry told him shyly.

"Yeah!" Ron said vociferously.

"I see," James said, obviously unimpressed or uninterested. He gave his son one final glance before carrying on his path up to the house.

Harry watched him walk away, looking disheartened. "I don't get it, he really liked it yesterday…"

Ron sighed, obviously unable to think of an answer to Harry's comment. "What does he do anyway? Always sitting in his office, shut up in the house?"

"Oh, I don't know," Harry replied, his head hung and his shoulders crumpled.

"Why don't you go and ask then?" Ron asked, grinning at him widely.

"Oh no, he won't want to be bothered-" Harry started to answer.

Ron cut him off, "parents like it when you ask questions, lots and lots of questions."

"Oh, right," Harry said, looking incredibly interested all of a sudden.

"Come on, I'll be right beside you," Ron encouraged, steering Harry towards the house. Harry dropped Deer in the hall way as the two boys bounced up the stairs.

Harry paused at the office door, before making his way to the desk where his father was working. He turned around and peered through the open door to notice that Ron was now standing at the top of the stairs and gesturing for Harry to start a conversation with James.

James looked down and looked at his son with beady hazel eyes.

"Umm, w-what are you doing?" Harry asked nervously.

"I'm writing a report," James told him, looking back down at his parchment.

"What's 'writing a report'?" Harry asked after a minute of consideration.

"It's… well… it's… it's- it's difficult to explain," James struggled.

Harry sighed. "Okay," he said, turning his back on his father and starting to make his retreat from the office.

"It's like a story," James tried, "a story that tells anyone who reads it what's happening in my work. "Who buys the magazine, where it is sold, who else produces things that are the same?"

"Alright," Harry said.

"Well, I have to go to the office," James said, rising from his seat and striding to the door.

"Oh okay," Harry said, looking disheartened once again.

James turned and paused in the doorway. "Are you coming?"

"Me? Of course," Harry asked, bounding after him.

Ron, standing a few metres down the corridor, just out of sight on a bend, grinned and chuckled to himself as he watched father and son walking away together.


	11. Chapter 10

AN- _yes, this really is a new chapter that I have FINALLY written, despite the fact that I have 3 exams this week... School has been HELL this term but I have one more week of A level exams and then freedom, I hope to finish this in a few weeks and not leave 6 months between updates... I'm incredibly sorry and I thank you for your continued support. Please, please tell me what you think and I will try to update ASAP! With love JLF xx_

**Are you Coming?  
Chapter 10**

"So, Harry, tell me what you like to do in your spare time, besides creating trouble that is," James asked, distracting his son from his attempts to climb onto the wall they were standing by. Just over the other side of the wall, Harry could just about see a small group of children throwing a quaffle around. He was desperate to see me over the wall so he could watch exactly what was going on but he wasn't tall enough.

James carefully lifted the small boy to sit on the wall but Harry was no longer interested in the game, just his father. "Umm... sometimes I play with Ron and Hermione but I also love to play Quidditch," Harry said, quietly watching his father with curious, innocent eyes. "Do you like Quidditch, father?"

"It's been a long time since I had the chance to play Quidditch," James said, echoes of the past swimming in his hazel eyes. Sirius soaring past him as they flew together, the quaffle in his grasp, Lily's kisses as the crowd cheered for Gryffindor's win... _'No, he mustn't think of Lily now.'_ "I played Chaser when I was in Hogwarts," he told Harry, watching the child's green eyes glitter at the new information.

"Really?" Harry asked brightly, "the Chaser's the best, mummy said so."

James hid a smile. "She's absolutely right," he said, in mock seriousness.

"But I want to be a Seeker!" Harry exclaimed. "The snitch is so beautiful!"

"And so you shall be," James promised.

"But I'm no good," Harry said glumly.

James studied him carefully. "Why do you say that?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm not good at anything," Harry said almost inaudibly, his eyes fixated on the ground. "Hermione's smarter than me and Ron's braver and funnier."

"But you are my son, you must be good at something," James said, confused. "You are good at magic." He paused. "Has your mother taught you to fly?"

"A tiny bit," Harry said shyly. "Do you think I will be able to make the team? Mum said I can try."

James smiled slightly and paused once again. "Yes and soon, if you're anything like I was."

"Well am I?"

"Are you what?"

"Like you?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out and we will when we get home," James said, lifting him off the wall. "We won't be long but we must go to my work now."

Harry nodded, following after his father. "What do you do there?"

"We make and sell magazines for wizards, there is one I think you will like," James promised, pushing open a heavy door into a dully decorated hallway.

Harry thought that they spent much longer at his father's work than James had suggested. He was desperately excited, James was going to teach him how to fly and play Quiddtch when they got home. He hoped he didn't disappoint him. He'd never played before and his mum didn't much like flying.

Harry spent the entire time at the office reading a magazine about Quidditch than his father gave him. At least he pretended to read it but ended up just looking at the images of Quidditch players performing various moves because the text was too complicated for him. He wondered if his father could do any of the moves in the magazine. He was sat outside his father's office, watched by a pretty blond woman with finger nails like a dragon.

"Harry, we are leaving," he heard as the door opened to his father's office.

He jumped up and followed his father out of the building. James took his hand and he felt a strange squeezing sensation and discovered they were back at the mansion.

"Can you teach me to do that, father?" Harry asked brightly.

James shook his head to hide his amusement. "No, Harry, you must be seventeen to learn to apparate. You will have lessons in Hogwarts and have to pass a test."

"Oh, okay," Harry nodded, padding after James in the direction of the house.

"I shall go and find the Quidditch set and brooms and you must change into some more comfortable clothes," he stated, noticing Harry was still in his school uniform.

James slowly made his way into the small room that he kept all his old school supplies in, the room he'd seen Lily in for the first time since Sixth year. His old trunk was placed in one corner whilst a cupboard in one corner contained all his stacked old books. The cupboard also contained several small boxes of odd memorabilia and photographs from the boys and Lily. He also kept a pensive, in which he'd placed all his most private and most fond memories of his time with the girl he'd once loved.

In another cupboard, James located all of his Quidditch gear. Books and magazines on Quidditch, scarlet red Gryffindor robes, several brooms, beaters' bats, a selection of balls. James picked up the balls and brooms and closed the cupboard door and slammed the room door loudly behind him, ensuring it was firmly shut behind him, as if shutting the past in the room so that it could no longer distract him. Unfortunately James now had one of biggest distractions and reminders of the past possible, but for once this distraction wasn't unwelcome.

Harry was bouncing up and down with excitement by the time James met him out in the vast gardens. James set the polished wooden brooms and the heavy case containing the balls on the grass and indicated for his son to come closer. He unlatched the case to reveal a shiny red, leather quaffle and two heavy bludgers straining against chains that held them in the case.

James picked up the quaffle and threw it gently to Harry. The small boy caught it without any trouble and regarded him enthusiastically. The two threw the quaffle around for a few minutes before James placed the brightly coloured ball back in the case and picked up the two brooms. He passed one to Harry, which was a bit big for the boy but James figured he would be able to handle it anyway.

James smiled when he saw Harry automatically get into the correct position for take off and he mirrored the child's actions. They lifted off together and hovered gently in the air, James giving Harry some pointers but James noticed he needed little instruction; he was obviously a natural flier. They flew a few graceful arcs around mansion, three times around and three times back again and James revelled in the lost feeling of flying. He felt so alive with the wind coursing through his hair and watching the ground disappear beneath his as they flew. How could he have let this go? The looks of pleasure on both father and son's faces were identical, glistening in hazel and green eyes.

The look of content on Harry's youthful features turned to one of disappointment when James instructed him to touch down. But it soon brightened up once again when they rose back into the air, James holding the quaffle loosely in his hands. They spent the next hour tossing the quaffle between themselves, making the gap across which they threw bigger each time and eventually throwing the ball to one another whilst moving.

Eve brought them some sandwiches and fresh lemonade and some big slices of chocolate cake. They sat in the soft spring grass and nibbled contently at the food, discussing Quidditch tactics and moves. The lemonade was icy and refreshing and the chocolate cake was Harry's favourite, just like his mum made it.

After they'd eaten, James opened a small compartment in the ball case and took out the small, walnut like ball. Harry had never seen a real snitch up close before and his gaze was blissful when James placed the small ball in his open palms. He watched the golden wings flutter against his skin and shared a secret smile with his father.

James picked up the two brooms and helped his son mount it. "Let it go," he suggested and Harry let go of the snitch, watching in awe as it took off into the sky.

"Wow," he breathed.

"Come on then," James said, playfully impatient. "The Seekers compete to see who can catch the snitch first and gain one hundred and fifty points for their team."

"You're on!" Harry exclaimed eagerly.

James watched the boy happily searching the air for a few minutes before taking off after him.

"Come on, slow-coach!" Harry giggled. "Else I'll find it before you!"

James flew a few slow circles around his son before rushing off to his right, pretending that he'd seen the snitch. Harry followed him before he realised that James hadn't really seen the ball.

"Dad!" he complained, causing James to laugh at his success.

A few minutes later, James did catch sight of the snitch and took off after it. Harry was hot on his heels, urging the broom to go faster and worrying James about the speed he was flying. After establishing that the boy was able to control the speed and that he was safe, James kept pace with him and they both reached out their hands for the snitch. However the ball took a deep dive below them and James watched in terror as Harry followed it in a deep dive. _'What if the boy was hurt?' _

"Wooohooo!" Harry screamed in exuberance as he dived, his hands outstretched towards the ball.

James grinned widely at his son's pleasure and imitated Harry's actions, letting all his inhibitions go and for one moment he acted like his seventeen year old self, competing in a Quidditch match. "WOOOHOOOOO!" he yelled as he launched into a steep dive.

Harry grinned widely at him as he joined his side. James made a show of reaching for the snitch but allowed his son to pull forward, pressing the small ball between his fingers.

"AND THE SNITCH IS CAUGHT BY HARRY JAMES POTTER, GRYFFINDOR WINS!" James exclaimed in imitation of Madame Hooch and the two of them laughed as they returned to the ground.

"Can we go again?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry," James said, placing the ball in the special compartment. "It's late and you must go to bed."

"But I'm not a-" he was interrupted by a wide yawn, "bit sleepy."

"Very funny," James commented, allowing Harry to carry the brooms and picking up the case to return it inside. "It's time to sleep."

They placed the Quidditch things back in the room they had come from and James led Harry upstairs. He helped Harry wash and change into his pyjamas. He watched Harry get into bed and sat at the end of the bed.

"Dad," Harry said sleepily.

"Hmm?"

"Why do we sleep?"

James looked at him carefully. "Everything must get rest so that it has enough energy to survive."

"Oh," Harry said. "Do you think mummy's asleep too now?"

"Harry, I think that's enough questions for the night," James said sternly, not wanting to discuss Lily just before bed. "Go to sleep."

"Oh, alright," Harry said grumpily as James passed him Deer from a spot on the floor. "Goodnight, father."

"Goodnight, Harry," James murmured; getting off the bed, turning the light off and leaving the room. He closed the door with a tiny thud and made his way to his own bedroom to sleep, his planned work left forgotten on the desk in his office.

"_A new season's begun,  
__For a father and son,  
__And everything grows a little faster,  
__And every moment stretches longer,  
__And it will only get much stronger." _

- First Sign of Spring, Michelle Lewis (Bambi 2).


	12. Chapter 11

**Are You Coming? **

**Chapter 11**

"Dad, can I have some more bacon?" Harry said, bouncing up and down in his chair.

It was Saturday and James had promised they would play Quidditch for a while before he had to crack on with some more work. It was more than a little obvious that Harry was very excited. They were sitting in the dining room with one of Eve's superb fry-ups. James had a big pile of parchment sitting by his coffee mug but he had given up trying to read it.

James placed two more rashers on the side of Harry's plate. His son continued his description of the previous evening's events, as if forgetting that James had been there too. He smiled at Harry's detailed account of how he'd caught the snitch before his father as he took a swig of strong, black coffee.

"I _will_ beat you today!" James exclaimed, his tone light. "You just had beginner's luck yesterday."

Harry gave a small laugh. "Don't lie, Dad," he commanded, "I won fair and square!"

James gave a chuckle. "We shall see," he said, taking a bite of toast. "Eat your food and then we can go outside."

Harry ate the rest of his food quickly and in silence.

"Come on, Dad! Hurry up!" he exclaimed when he saw the James' plate was still half full.

James exaggerated eating his food slowly, watching Harry become really agitated.

"Dad!" Harry half whined. "Please!"

James hid a smirk as he chewed. He drank some more coffee, watching Harry's eyes glittering in excitement.

"Sir," Eve said, entering the room. "There's a young lady and gentleman here to see you."

James frowned, wondering who could possibly be here to see him on a Saturday morning. "Show her in." He turned his attention back to Harry, who was now fidgeting in his seat.

"Harry," he laughed, "we will go outside in a minute!"

He heard footsteps on the hallway's wooden floor, followed by Harry's groan that his father was going to be distracted.

"He's just in there," Eve said from the doorway.

"Harry!" a woman's voice exclaimed from behind him.

His son seemed to forget his excitement momentarily and rushed to the other person with a cry of "mummy!"

James turned slowly in his seat to gaze at Lily. Her creamy skin was slightly darker due to the sun from her holiday and her hair seemed lighter. But James still thought she looked beautiful. Her bright emerald eyes were unsure as she held their son in a close embrace. She lowered her gaze from James' unblinking one and busied herself with looking at Harry.

There was a cough from behind her and James' eyes rested on Scott. "Lily, make this quick, we need to get going," he said sharply and James' eyes narrowed at him.

Lily nodded. "Ummm… where's Harry's stuff, James?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"What?" Harry exclaimed. "What's happening?"

"We've got to go, honey," she said, shooting a glance at Scott's harsh features.

"No! We can't!" Harry cried out, stepping back from his mother. "We can't!"

"We're going, _now_!" Scott snapped, folding his arms across his chest and widening his stance.

Harry's eyes widened and he looked tearfully up at his mother. "N-no," he said again. He looked at James for guidance.

James forced a steely frown onto his face, determined to hide the tears that were welling in the back of his own hazel eyes. "Your mother's right," he said resolutely. "It's time for you to go home." He turned his back on his son and called out for Eve. "I need you to fetch Harry's stuff from the spare room," he said.

Harry felt a single tear tumble down his cheek. He'd thought his Dad had changed. He thought he cared for him. But he was wrong. He meant nothing to his dad. And that would never change. His mum took his hand and led him to the door as Scott took his things from his dad.

They stood on the front steps of James' mansion to say their awkward goodbyes. James approached Harry and bent to his height. He stroked back his son's dark hair, gazing at his face tenderly. Harry noticed his eyes were glistening with tears too.

"No matter where you are, you'll always be my son," he said quietly, so that no one else could hear. "I'll always be there for you when you need me."

Harry stepped forward into his father's arms and hugged him tightly and desperately. Next thing, he was being pulled away by Lily, wishing that he didn't have to leave.

* * *

"Mum," Harry started quietly.

It had been a week since Lily had arrived home from her holiday with Scott and everything had gone back to normal. Everything except that Harry was desperately missing his father. He no longer cared that his father had turned his back on him and let his mother take him home without any argument. He just wanted to see him.

"Yes, Harry?" Lily answered.

They were walking home from school. A journey that they'd made everyday since Harry had started the school last year. At the moment they were talking their usual short cut through the park. His mum looked flustered. She'd had an argument with Scott that morning- Harry didn't know what it was about but she hadn't been happy all day.

"Can we… could we go and see Dad?" he asked quietly. "Not today, but soon?"

Lily gave a tense sigh. "Harry," she started, pausing to look at him and bent to his height. "I don't think we should see your father for a while."

She began to walk again but Harry didn't follow her. He frowned, feeling tears prickle in the corner of his eyes. Why didn't his Mum understand this?

"Hello, Potter," a voice appeared.

Harry spun around and was met by the gloating face of Draco Malfoy, the last person he wanted to see right now.

"Heard about you Dad," he said gleefully. "Heard that he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore…" Malfoy took a step closer to Harry and Harry instinctively took a step back from him. "I don't blame him, though… you must've been _such _a disappointment to him…"

"S-shut up, Malfoy!" Harry snapped.

"What did you say?" the blonde boy growled, his eyes narrowing at Harry.

"I said 'shut up'," Harry repeated fiercely, "you don't know _anything _about my Dad!"

"Get out of here, Snotter, you don't want to get into a fight with me," Malfoy said, laughing cruelly.

Harry made a fist, just like men do, when they are angry, on muggle television programmes. He swung at Malfoy and was surprised that he felt satisfaction when his fist connected with the other boy's nose. Malfoy grabbed the top of Harry school sweatshirt and pushed him. Harry fell and Malfoy jumped on top of him. Harry's hands connected with the other boy's face and he tried to push him off.

"Harry? Harry?" he heard his mother's panicked voice, searching for him.

He successfully pushed Malfoy off him and they pushed against each other. He heard his mother's voice come closer.

"Harry!" she exclaimed when she saw him fighting with the other boy. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw his mother step forward, placing her hands out in front of her to separate them. "Stop!"

The next moment, several cloaked and masked figures shot out of the trees. Lily grabbed her wand out of her pocket and told the two boys to get behind her. The figures drew their wands and aimed them at Lily. She ducked their spell and retaliated with one of her own. But her '_stupify'_ spell bounced of the cloaked figures shielding spells and hit her. Harry watched in horror as his mother fell backwards, unconscious.

At the loss of his protection, Malfoy gave a scream and ran off in the opposite direction. Harry bit his lip indecisively. He couldn't let these people get to his Mum, they might kill her. But what could he do against this many trained wizards. He grabbed his mother's wand and stood up straight, glaring at the figures.

"Stay back!" he told them, pointing the wand at them more bravely than he felt.

One of the figures began to laugh. "Or what?" he asked, his voice cold. "What will you do? You are no match for a Death Eater, child." He raised his wand at Harry.

Harry began to run. He could hear them laughing as they followed him, exclaiming that this was "so much fun!" He gulped, speeding up and looking for somewhere to hide, terrified what they would do to him if they caught him.

He suddenly realised he had run straight into the iron fence that surrounded the park. He was cornered. He was going to die. There was no escape.

Then over the fence behind him flew three figures on broomsticks. Harry gasped; he really was surrounded now. He felt himself shaking all over but tried not to show the cloaked people. Then the figures that had come from behind him pushed past him and removed their cloaks. Harry gave a sigh of relief as he realised it was his Dad, Remus and Sirius. He was going to be okay. His Dad would make sure he was safe.

Harry stayed back against the fence as his father and his friends shot curses at the people who had called themselves 'Death Eaters'. The fight didn't last long and soon the cloaked figures retreated in the opposite direction.

"Harry!" James exclaimed, his voice sounding relieved as he bent to pull him into a hug. "Where's you mother?" he asked.

"She got hit by a spell," Harry said weakly and James looked worried, "but I don't think she's dead."

"Where is she?" James asked, taking Harry's hand and sounding tense.

Harry rushed to show his Dad where his Mum was. James got down on his knees beside her and muttered a few spells under his breath. All Harry could do was watch and pray that she was going to be okay.

After what seemed like forever, Lily's green eyes fluttered open. She looked up into James' hazel eyes, feeling very safe, though she couldn't work out why. Slowly she realised where she was and what had just happened. "Harry?" she called out, terrified. "Where's Harry?" she asked James impatiently.

"He's just here," James said, helping her to her feet. Lily rushed to give Harry a hug and James slowly walked over to him. Harry pulled away from his Mum and gazed at his father, nervously.

James reached out to hug Harry. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered into his son's hair. "So very proud." Harry hugged him tighter and felt a wide smile stretch across his lips. His Dad was proud of _him_!

After a few moments James picked Harry up, stood and shared a smile with Lily. She felt herself drawn to his gaze and was unable to look away. James took a step closer and looked over Lily's face to check she was okay.

"Lily!" a man's voice yelled from behind them. "Lily, you're late! I expected you home over an hour ago…" Scott trailed off as he realised James was there. "What are you doing here, Potter?"

"Death Eaters," James said coolly. He passed Harry to his mother and made a step towards Scott, his eyes flashing.

"As I said, Lily, it's time to go home," Scott snapped, grabbing her arm. He paused to send a final glare to James. "If you come near her again," he said coldly. "I'll kill you, you bastard."

Harry tried to reach out for his Dad, but he had already disapparated. He hated Scott more than anything at that moment. And he just wanted to be with his Dad.

* * *

_I wish I was better at action scenes lol... I hope it was okay. _

_As always, sorry for the long wait... there's only a couple of chapters left, so I hope to get it finished soon- then again I said that last time I updated. _

_Thanks for all your support and I shall do my best to get this finished. _

_Love JLF xx_


	13. Chapter 12

**Are You Coming?**

**Chapter 12**

"Mr Potter, our magazine sells over a million copies a year; we won't pay more than the offered price for you to publish it," Mr Tumble, an elderly wizard who was trying to convince James to publish his magazine for him. James happened to know that this magazine had once been published by Scott Bradley and it made James feel very smug that they were choosing him instead.

"This magazine will be very costly to print due to its style," James commented, leaning back on his chair as his sectary took notes for him.

The clock on the wall behind Mr Tumble and his partner said that it was ten thirty a.m. Harry's first Quidditch match began in thirty minutes, James thought sadly.

As everyone had expected, Harry had got onto the team without any trouble at all and was even crazier about the sport than he had been before. After eight weeks of training, the children's team had their first match against another team of a similar age. Lily had asked and Harry had begged for James to come and watch. James had found the idea of watching his son playing Quidditch very appealing until he'd realised he'd already arranged this meeting. He'd explained this to Lily who was furious that he wouldn't change it but not at all surprised.

James had seen very little of his son over the last few weeks, partly due to his workload but mostly due to the way Bradley was treating them. He seemed to believe that Lily wanted to rekindle their old relationship and didn't trust either of them to be anywhere near each other. James just couldn't believe that he was ordering Lily to stay away from James, after all Lily wasn't a disobedient child but a fully grown adult who could do whatever she wanted. James had gone to the school a couple of afternoons just so he could see his son, Lily had brought Harry to his house once but Scott had been so angry that she hadn't tried again.

"But you will get that back from the customers," the partner in midnight blue robes, who's name James had forgotten, said.

James wondered if Harry was nervous and tried to think back to his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts. He hadn't been nervous but then again James had been flying since he was five years old. He rapped his fingers against the polished wood table of his meeting room and almost felt nervous for his son.

James shook his head and tried to concentrate on the meeting. The men he was talking to thought he was disagreeing with them. Which he was anyway. "You will still get a percentage of the profit though," he said seriously. "So unless you want to change the percentage you receive, you'll have to up the price you will pay us to publish them."

James noted that the weather was perfect for playing Quidditch: dry and not too windy. He sighed and pulled out the fact and figures sheet on the magazine they were discussing.

Mr Tumble rubbed his nose and tapped his wand against the desk. James could see it leaving marks in the wood. He frowned and focused on the cloudless sky once again.

"_And James Potter scores, Gryffindor lead by fifty points…"_

James ran a tired hand through his hair, pushing the commentator's voice from the past out of his head. This was useless. He couldn't stay here and pay attention when his son was about to do something so important.

He stood abruptly. "Excuse me, gentlemen," he said politely. "I suggest you rediscuss your facts and then we will resume this meeting another day."

James started running as soon as he left to room. He sprinted down the hallway, making his staff stop to look at him curiously.

He was going to be late! He was going to miss the start of the match!

He _couldn't _be…

Harry needed him to be there!

* * *

His Dad was late, Harry thought as he searched the crowds for his father's messy dark hair. His Mum kissed his forehead and forced him to focus on her.

"He's late," Harry murmured under his breath.

"He'll be here," Lily said, looking anxious and like she didn't believe her words at all.

Harry sighed, picking up his broom.

"Good luck," Lily said, giving him a hug. "You'll be fine. Just concentrate on flying."

Harry nodded and watched her walk away. He felt quite nervous now that his Mum had left. He followed the rest of the team onto the pitch and continued to scan the crowds. He mounted his broom and watched the rest of the team lift off. He sighed, his dad wasn't coming.

He lifted off and flew slow circles around the pitch. He'd hoped that Quidditch was the one thing that might make James proud of him. He was wrong. James hadn't even shown up to watch. Perhaps he knew the match was going to be appalling and hadn't wanted to see his child make a fool of himself.

The whistle blew.

Harry turned to look at his mother and got the shock of his life. Lily was sat in between a bored looking Scott and… his father, who looked very excited. He gave a wide grin and shot off in search of the snitch.

The match went fantastically. Harry's team won by over one hundred points. Harry caught the snitch, earning the team one hundred and fifty points, leaving the other Seeker to scowl at him. No one was injured and everyone commented on Harry's superb flying skills.

James was grinning proudly as he came onto the pitch with Lily at the end of the match. He bent to Harry's height and ruffled his hair.

"That's my boy!" he exclaimed and placed Harry on his shoulders. Harry had never felt happier.

After the match, the elated team and their parents went to the Leaky Cauldron for food and to celebrate. Harry spent most of the evening with his father. He still couldn't believe his reaction. James spent most of the night cuddling him to him, as if he was afraid that he would never see Harry ever again. When Sirius and Remus appeared, he proudly told them how well Harry had done in the match and gave them a full description of what had happened.

It was getting quite late when Harry, full of food, discovered he couldn't see either of his parents anywhere. Scott was in a rather heated argument with a bearded man so Harry decided to leave him alone. Remus had gone home and Sirius was talking animatedly to a pretty blonde witch.

He peeked around the outside of the bar and saw his parents' figures illuminated by the bright street lights. They were standing close together and looked cold. Harry stood in the doorway and tried to listen to their conversation. Their voices were a low murmur and Harry strained to hear them, wondering what they could be talking about so intently.

* * *

Lily had to admit that it had been a brilliant day. She hadn't expected it to run so smoothly. After all, Harry hadn't been playing Quidditch too long and after James had said he was unavailable, she'd expected Harry to be torn apart. But Harry had played fantastically and James had shown care for his son that Lily had come to think would never come.

She turned to look at James, who was smiling gently back at her. Lily couldn't help but think how attractive that smile was, but then again she'd always thought that. After the day away from his work, James looked so much more carefree and less ragged, he even looked younger. It was as if his son had taken off the years he had put on due to stress.

It's been a brilliant day," James commented.

"Yes," Lily agreed, tucking some of her hair behind her hair. "I'm glad you came."

James turned his gaze away from her, slightly sheepishly. "I had to turn up after I promised Harry I'd be there," he said.

"But your deal-" Lily started.

"-is not important," James cut her off. "Harry is what's important now."

Lily gave a smile. "He is."

James gave a long sigh. "I can't believe how perfect he is… and that I couldn't see it before. He deserves the best father possible and I'm going to do everything I can to be that for him from now on."

Lily's smile widened even more. You know," she said, "I never expected you to be such a good father. When you first met in your office, I thought you'd never want anything to do with him. Well done, James, you've finally become the man you should be."

"Thanks, Lily," James replied, embarrassedly putting one arm around her.

Lily returned the hug. "I want you to be around, James, I really do. Harry needs to see his father… but you know what Scott's like. He'll never accept that we no longer have romantic feelings for one another."

"Perhaps we do," James said under his breath.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing," James said quietly. "But I'll always be here if you need me."

"I know you will," she said, tightening her arms around her. James rested his chin on top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Get away from her, Potter!"

Lily raised her head to see Scott striding towards them, his eyes flashing. James removed his arms from her and turned to her boyfriend, his own hazel orbs furious.

"She isn't your property, Bradley," he snarled.

Scott threw the first punch but James' connected. Scott drew his wand.

"James! Scott! Please!" Lily exclaimed.

Scott turned to regard Lily, coldly. "Get the boy," he said, "we are leaving."

The last thing Lily saw as Scott dragged them out the pub was James staring at Scott's back, a murderous look on his face.


End file.
